What Comes Next?
by AddsTheWriter
Summary: They have already had one shock thrown their way, now what happens when another one is added that could possibly change everything they have? Are they truly meant to be a family?
1. Chapter 1

_*** Oh would you look at that, another story started. This doesn't mean that I'm done with Unexpected Encounter, I will still be working on that one (in fact, I'm almost finished with a new chapter now). But this idea, whatever the inspiration was, came to me and I just had to roll with it. And a disclaimer, I have nothing against Tuckson; actually, I really like their relationship and I am happy with anything that makes Olivia's character happy, but because the show is only telling us that their relationship is complicated, I thought I might try to write my own version of their complications. Enjoy! ***_

"Is this all we have? Her doctor couldn't tell you anymore?"

Olivia stared at the board in front of her, looking at the pictures of the victim and of the suspects the team had so far for their current case. From what she could see in front of her, there wasn't much to go off of and it wasn't looking like they were headed in the right direction to find more answers.

"She said as much as she could without violating patient privilege, but it really wasn't any more than Melinda was able to tell us." Amanda told her.

Liv let a long, agitated sigh. "So we have nothing more than we started with… Let's see if there isn't something we are missing in her background, some boyfriend or man in her life, her parents would be really helpful, or even an aunt or uncle, someone who might know more about her."

"We're on it, Lieu." Carisi promised.

She watched as everyone got up from their seats at the table and moved back to their desks. But Liv waited for a moment, taking a few deep breaths.

"You okay?" Liv jumped slightly at the sound of her detective asking her the question.

Rollins watched her turn around slightly to face her. "I'm fine, Amanda."

Olivia stood up slowly and walked to her office. Amanda watched her boss closely, a little worried about her, but she didn't wanted to say anything more because she wasn't sure it was her place.

Moments later, just as everyone was settling back into their desks in search of more information, Olivia emerged from her office. She had her coat on and her phone in her hand. "I need to get out for a little while. Anybody want anything? I'm going to go get some coffee."

"Coffee?" Carisi asked her.

"It won't kill her Carisi." Amanda said. "Mind of I come with you?"

Liv shook her head. "No, not at all."

The women walked out of the squad room together, Amanda putting her coat on as they went and Olivia trying to shake the comment Carisi had made. They rode the elevator down in silence, but the blonde detective couldn't stop herself from trying to start a conversation.

"Are you sure that you're alright? I didn't mean to ask you in front of everyone, I know you probably don't really want to discuss it out in the open like that."

"Amanda, it's okay." Liv assured her. "It's not that I don't want to discuss it, it's kind of hard topic to just dismiss, but I don't want all of you to feel like you have to watch and worry about my every move."

Amanda understood. She had been in the exact same position just a year earlier. The whole squad was watching her, especially Fin. But because Olivia was leading the squad and Nick had since left, everyone, Fin, Carisi, herself, even Chief Dodds had taken it upon themselves to make sure nothing happened.

Rollins nodded. "I get it, I do. And if I ever overstep my bounds just tell me, okay?"

"You won't, I'm sure." Olivia and Amanda turned the street corner, the precinct no longer visible, leaving the case behind inside of it. "I'd rather have you asking the questions than Fin or Carisi. I swear those two worry more than Ed does and I didn't even know that was possible."

"How is he? Ed?" Amanda asked.

Liv thought for a moment before she answered. "He's good. Just really busy. He hasn't been home much lately, so now instead of getting babied every night at home, I'm getting phone calls from him throughout the day making sure I'm eating and drinking enough water and not consuming extreme amounts of coffee."

"But he's excited about this, isn't he?"

"I don't know if… excited is the right word." Olivia admitted. "I think he's happy about it, but I also know that he feels like he's in over his head. And, I can't really blame him. It's a lot to take on just me and this job, let alone Noah and another child."

The conversation halted for a few minutes as the women walked through the door of the coffee shop, which was rather quiet for midday, but they didn't mine the lack of commotion. Their squad room and homes' had enough of that for them both. They ordered their drinks, decaf for Olivia, and those for Fin and Carisi, as well.

As they walked out, Olivia was the one who restarted the conversation. "And none of this is normal. It would be one thing if we were in our thirties and had the energy to run after a toddler while expecting another baby, but we most certainly aren't. That much has become more and more obvious as this pregnancy has gone along."

"Maybe he's just a little scared? I would be and I know that he wouldn't be someone who would admit that to you." Amanda hadn't known Tucker as long as Olivia, but she knew enough to know he wasn't a man of many feelings.

"Maybe…" Liv thought.

"I'm sorry, I'm asking too many questions." Amanda apologized.

Olivia was aware that Amanda was only asking, or more like interrogating her, because she cared about Olivia. She knew what it was like to be pregnant on this job and how difficult it could be, even for she, who was young and healthy without any of the worries of a high risk pregnancy. And although they had a bumpy past, Amanda wanted to be a support for Liv when she knew she would need it the most.

"It's really okay, Amanda." Liv knew her detective meant well. "You're the only one who is really asking me anything these days other than when the last time I ate was or how many hours of sleep I got."

Amanda chuckled. "I'll remember to avoid those. But really, are you feeling okay? I know it's an annoying question, but I recognized that look you had on your face earlier and it wasn't because you were feeling good."

"I'm fine now." Liv gently pressed her hand to her seven month bump hidden beneath her jacket, feeling the baby's soft kicks. "I had just been sitting too long today; the baby isn't really a fan of stagnation, likes to start using me as its punching bag."

"I remember that, Jessie was the same way."

Their conversation dwindled as they made their way back into the precinct. Amanda halted her questions returning to work mode, just as Olivia did. But Liv couldn't shake the conversation she had just had with the young blonde, mostly what had been spoken about Ed. It had occurred to her that maybe he was worried about this new little life they were bringing into the world, but scared wasn't an adjective she ever thought would describe how Ed Tucker was feeling. And the more she thought about it, the more she thought about how he was acting lately, Liv could see where Amanda had a point.

The talk from that afternoon, was stilling running through her head when she opened the front door to the new apartment she was sharing with her boyfriend and son.

"Mama!" Noah ran straight into her legs, showing how truly excited he was to see his mom again.

"Hi my sweet boy." Olivia bent down as well as she could, the day had taken a toll on her back, and planted a kiss on top of his head. "How was preschool today?"

"I played with the plato and colored."

Olivia smiled, proud of her son. "That sounds like such a good day, No."

Ed watched from the kitchen as she spoke to her son. He got a lot of joy from watching the two interact, their relationship was only what he could hope to have with both Noah and their newest addition some day.

Liv stood back up, a concerning cracking come from her back as she did so. Trying to ignore the pain, she slowly walked toward the kitchen. "And how was your day?"

Ed looked back up from cutting up vegetables for the dinner salad. "It was fine. You?"

His answer was cold and distant, setting Olivia off. And usually when she first walked in, if he was home before her, he was giving her the third degree about every moment of her day to make sure she was taking care of herself.

"The baby's been moving a lot today and I can't seem to get rid of this back ache because of it." Liv wouldn't normally have mentioned the pain, but she wanted to see if she could get a reaction out of him.

"Maybe you should slow down a little then." Was all he could say in response.

Something was very off and Olivia couldn't figure out why. She knew Ed had been busy lately, under a lot of stress, but that hadn't stopped him from being overly protective and concerned from the moment they met every evening.

The night went on very quietly. And Liv could not handle the growing distance.

"Ed is something wrong?" She had wanted to be able to talk to him tonight, really talk to him. Noah was now asleep, allowing for them to be alone, just the two of them. After what Amanda had said, she needed to be able to talk to him and now he wouldn't say more than one-syllable words.

"Not really…" His answer as evasive as he had been all evening.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Okay, seriously? What is up?"

"It's just that…"

"Just that what?" Liv pressured him. "Is this something to do with me or the baby?"

Ed shook his head. "No, Liv. This isn't about you or the baby."

"Are you sure? If it is you can tell me. I want you to tell me."

"Liv this isn't about you!" Ed's voice rose with anger.

Olivia's eyes widened. She had seen Tucker get angry, plenty of times, but this was the first time that she could remember him reacting to her or something she said in such a way since they had been together.

"I'm sorry Liv…" Ed tried.

But the lieutenant was up from the couch in the living room and was already halfway to the bedroom. Ed got up to follow her, but by the time he could see the bedroom door it was shutting in his face.

"Olivia." Ed pushed the door back open. "I didn't mean that."

"Ed, I'm not in the mood tonight. I don't feel good and you are obviously not wanting to tell me what's going on." Liv sat down on the bed, her back facing him.

"I got a job offer today."

Liv turned back around quickly, as if looking at Ed might make what he said more clear to her. That wasn't what she had been expecting.

"What do you mean you got a job offer? You just started this job." Liv questioned him.

Ed let out a deep sigh. "I know and I wasn't expecting this. But it's a good offer, Liv… a really good offer."

"What is it?" Liv asked.

"Its… I got offered to be the head of the hostage negotiation team."

"Wow, that's…. Wow. Ed that's what you've always wanted to do."

"For the LA PD."

Olivia opened her mouth and then closed it again, realizing that she didn't actually know what to say in response.

"I know this isn't… that this isn't the best case scenario."

Liv just continued to stare at him. She had walked through the door of her apartment that night thinking that she would be able to talk to her boyfriend, work through some of their unspoken worries. And now here she was listening to Ed tell her about an offer that would change absolutely everything they had worked for. She was at a complete and total loss and she could feel her future, the one she had just started to picture with Ed, slipping away from them.

 _ *** Okay, let me know what you think. Is is worth continuing? Is anyone interested? Reviews are greatly appreciated! ***_


	2. Chapter 2

**_* Okay, so I am going to continue this story for now. I appreciate the reviews, although FanFiction won't let me see them all right now. But here is Chapter 2. *_**

"Liv, are you good? Do you need to get home to Noah?"

Fin had been watching his commanding officer check her phone repeatedly throughout their meeting as a team with Barba. They hadn't been planning on seeing the district attorney, but with a quick change in their case and what they knew about the victim, the whole squad had trudged downtown to Rafael's office.

"I'll be fine, I just need to call Lucy and let her know I'll be even later." Liv pushed against the handles of her chair, standing herself up, her body sore from sitting in the hard wood chair.

She walked out of the room, dialing Lucy's number as she went. The young girl answered the phone, expecting Liv to tell her exactly what she did, that she would be home later. Olivia apologized repeatedly for not getting home to relieve her, but Lucy assured her that it was fine, Noah was fast asleep anyway and she was just going to get some homework done.

But before the mom could turn back around and head into the office, the whole team came out from the same door she had left through.

"What are you all doing?" Liv questioned.

Her whole team had their coats on, phones in hands. Amanda even handed Olivia her own coat and purse.

"We are calling it a night." Amanda said. "Some of us have kids to get home to and nothing is going to change in the next twelve hours that is stopping us from going home now."

"But…" Olivia tried.

Carisi stopped her. "No buts, just go home Lieu."

"Alright." Liv threw her hands up in protest and accepted her coat and purse from Amanda. "But if anything, and I mean anything comes up, I better be the first phone call you all make."

The team dispersed after leaving the DA's office. Liv made her way to her car, her senses on high alert in the almost pitch black New York night. When she made it to her car and was finally in the driver's seat, she let out a deep breath. Her back had the same ache that it had just days before and after sitting for hours, the pressure and movements of the baby were starting to build painfully as well.

And Lucy could see that Olivia's day had been long when she walked through the door and she could also the discomfort written on her face. "Is everything okay, Liv?"

"Yeah, it's fine." Liv gave her a weak, unconvincing smile. "Just been a long day." "Just making sure. I'll get going though, let you get some sleep. Noah had a busy day so I'm thinking he'll be sound asleep for the rest of the night." Lucy gather her things as she spoke.

"Are you okay to get home? Do you need a ride?"

"No I'm fine." Lucy assured her. "I already have a ride. Thanks though."

Olivia gave her another half-hearted smile and watched as her young babysitter left the apartment. She quickly checked on Noah, who was sound asleep in his toddler bed, his arms wrapped tightly around his favorite stuffed animal. The mom quietly shut her son's bedroom door and made her way into her own room, dropping heavily onto her side of the bed. Her hand rested on stomach, where the baby was still moving tremendously and making her more uncomfortable by the minute.

But what was really painful, was looking at the empty side of the bed next to her. The place where Ed normally would have been already asleep, snoring just slightly.

This time it wasn't a case that was keeping him away, but instead a trip across the country that he had chosen to make all on his own. Less than twenty four hours after he had announced to Olivia that he had gotten a new job offer he had a made a second announcement: that he would by flying out to LA the following morning, this morning, to meet with the LAPD and discuss his possible new job. And Liv made no argument, she said okay, and walked out the door to work for the day. She was fed up, she was angry, and she was quite honestly at a loss for how she thought they should handle this new issue. So now she was hoping that maybe a few days apart would give them both time to think about where they were going next.

"Mama." Olivia's thoughts were disrupted by the sound of her favorite name coming from her little boy's mouth outside of her bedroom door.

"What's the matter sweet boy?" Noah came in, laying his head on his mother's lap.

"Where Ed?"

The question took Liv aback.

"He's… he's on a trip right now." Liv told her son.

"Is he comin' back?"

Olivia picked Noah up and set him on the bed next to her. "Of course he'll be back."

"Can I sleep with you mama?" Noah asked, his other worries about Ed disappearing quickly, as a three year old's attention span wasn't very long.

"Of course you can, baby." The mother and son fell asleep quickly, Noah snuggled up against his mama with his little hand wrapped around her his new little sister or brother. But the peaceful night for the little family was very short lived as by three am, Liv was out of bed, trying not to wake up her son. But it wasn't because she couldn't sleep.

She had noticed the pain right before she fell asleep, but she had waved it off as just something that was caused by her stressful day. However, hours later, it had become increasingly worse and she knew that she couldn't ignore it any longer. It was what Olivia had expected her contractions to feel like, except that they were happening nearly three months before her due date.

And then when she found herself in the kitchen, doubled over in pain, trying not to make a sound so she wouldn't wake up Noah, Olivia knew that she needed to do something. The pain was only getting worse by the minutes.

Eventually, Liv was able to fish her phone out of the bottom of her purse where she had left it earlier. It rang a few times before there was a voice on the other end.

"Liv?" Amanda sounded confused.

"I'm… I'm really sorry…" Olivia started.

"Liv, what's up?" Amanda could tell from the sound of her lieutenant's voice that something was off.

Liv let out a deep breath, trying to handle the pain. "Something is… I don't know… something is wrong."

"With the baby?"

"Yeah." Olivia was on the verge of tears. "And Ed is… he's not here."

Amanda let out a sympathetic sigh. "Okay, Liv. I'm going to call Carisi so that he can come with me and stay with the kids at your place. We will be there as soon as we possibly can."

The half an hour that Liv had to wait for Rollins and Carisi, felt like hours. She was sure that the pain was only worsening and it didn't take a doctor telling her for her to know whatever was going on was far from normal.

When the knock on her door finally sounded through her quiet apartment, Olivia was sure that she had never been so relieved.

Carisi carried Jessie in for Amanda, who followed behind him, her daughter's diaper bag in hand. The both stopped short when they were far enough into the apartment to see their CO leaned over the kitchen island, her breaths shallow and her face contorted in pain. "Okay, Liv, we really need to get you out of here." Amanda said. "Do you want to get changed before we leave?"

Olivia nodded in response and Amanda followed her into her bedroom to help her.

Sonny stood in the living room of his lieutenant's apartment, not sure where to go. Jessie had fallen back asleep in his arms and he didn't want to wake her up, but he also didn't want to be in the way or to make Liv feel any more uncomfortable than she already was. He knew that admitting that she needed help wasn't easy for her and he was probably the last person she wanted in her home, watching her suffer.

The two women returned from the bedroom, Olivia changed but still seemingly in pain. "You can put her in the bedroom with Noah. Just make sure she can't roll of the bed, okay? And all of her stuff is in her bag for when she wakes up. Noah shouldn't be too difficult, you'll probably have to feed him some breakfast, but I'm going to leave a message with Lucy so she knows what's going on and she'll be here sometime tomorrow morning." Amanda gave her partner the quickest run down that she could.

"We'll be fine. You guys go. I'll call if I need anything." Carisi insisted.

Amanda helped Liv out the door and to the elevator. Nothing was said by either of them as they walked to Olivia's parked car in the garage underneath the building. Even without an exchange of words, there was an unspoken motherly bond between the two and Amanda felt that there was a certain amount of trust Olivia was allowing her because they were both mothers.

Olivia was admitted to the maternity floor immediately after Amanda explained the situation to the nurse in the ER when they arrived. Within minutes of them walking through the doors of the hospital, Liv was in a room, in a gown, being hooked up to the fetal monitors, waiting for her doctor to come.

"Can I get you anything?" Amanda asked. The two women were now alone. All the nurses had left for at least a few moments.

Olivia shook her head. "I'm fine." She basically lied.

The pain was still as strong as it had been and she was sick to her stomach thinking about what this meant for her and her child. Then there was the whole thing with Ed. He was somewhere in LA, probably asleep, unaware of what was happening on the other coast he had just left.

"Have you…" Liv was trying to breathe through the pain. "Could you call Ed?"

Amanda eyes widened. How had she not even thought to let the father of Olivia's child know what was happening? Everything had gone so quickly once her lieutenant had called her that the only things on her mind was her daughter, Liv's son, and getting her to the hospital as quick as she possibly could.

"I will go call him right now." Amanda hurried out of the room.

As Amanda left the room, Olivia's doctor came through the door. The look on her face wasn't hiding what she thought of the situation her patient was in.

"How are you feeling Olivia? Still a lot of pain?" Dr. Anderson asked.

Olivia nodded her head.

"Okay. We are going to do everything that we can to stop these contractions. Your water didn't break and your pain isn't measuring as strong as contractions normally do, so I am hopeful that we can do this. But if we can't, I need you to be prepared for what is to come if we have to deliver this baby early. I would let whoever you need to know that they might need to be here with you."

The problem was, that the person Olivia needed to let know was across the country and she didn't know that he was coming back to be there for her or his child.

 _ *** Alright, tell what you are thinking. This is story isn't going to be only Olivia and the baby, but I wanted to create another complication. From here I really want to focus more on the Tuckson. But your reviews are still appreciated! ***_


	3. Chapter 3

**_* I am really excited about the reaction to this story. I quite honestly didn't know if anyone would even want to read it. So thank you for the support. I really want to try to keep this updated in a timely manner and I want to keep you all interested. Here is Chapter 3! *_**

"Fin where is she? Is everything okay?"

The moment Ed had gotten the call from Amanda, he left his hotel room and took a ride to the airport. He got on the first available plan home, but even then it was nearly twelve hours after the call that he was finally running through the doors of the hospital. And when he had reached the fourth floor, where Liv's room was, he ran into the male detective in the waiting room.

"She's in her room down the hall, 426." Fin told him, trying his best not to show the anger he was feeling in his response. He had come to the hospital to let Amanda go home to Jesse and help Lucy with Noah. And he would be there for Olivia in a minute, but he wasn't there to pretend that he was okay with Ed being on the other side of the country when she needed him. He had thought that this was different than his lieutenant's previous relationships, but he was beginning to rethink that.

Ed took the answer he was looking for and nearly ran the length of the hallway to the room.

He barged through the door of the room, only to find Olivia asleep and the doctor checking some of the monitors.

Dr. Anderson looked up from her notes. "Ed, it's nice to see you."

"Is she okay? Is the baby okay?" Liv shifted slightly in the bed as Ed asked his questions.

"Let's take this outside." Dr. Anderson did not want to wake up the mom, who needed her rest, so she led Tucker back out the door he had just entered.

Ed didn't want to have to wait for answers. "Please tell me that they are okay. Please…"

"Right now, they are both fine." Dr. Anderson assured him. "Olivia came in with some very strong contractions, but because her water hadn't broken and she hadn't dilated, we were able to stop them. She's still feeling them slightly, so she's a little uncomfortable, but it's very bearable."

"So what does this mean? Are you going to have to deliver the baby early?"

"I will say that we will probably have to deliver this baby earlier than the due date, but we won't have to deliver today or hopefully anytime within the next month or so." The doctor explained.

"That's good." Ed said. "That sounds like it's a good thing."

Dr. Anderson nodded. "It is. But this does mean that Olivia is now on strict bed rest for the remainder of this pregnancy."

"Does she know that?" Ed knew that Liv would not have taken happily to that news.

"She does. She is well aware that there is no other choice at this point if we want to deliver a healthy baby. And I know she is not happy about it, but I know how much she cares about this baby. I also know that needs her support system here for her. This will be a long and sometimes grueling process and she will need a lot of help to get through it, especially from those closest to her."

The doctor's last comment was a blow to Ed, who knew that she was referring to him not being there for Liv. He had left her alone, for what was probably one of the scariest things she had experienced.

"You are more than welcome to go back in and be with her. I'm sure she wants to see you." Dr. Anderson walked away, heading to another patient who needed her.

Tucker walked through the door again. This time though, Liv was no longer sleeping and instead watching him.

"How are you feeling?" Ed walked up closer to her bed.

She averted her gaze immediately, looking straight forward at the wall in front of her.  
"I'm fine."

"Liv… I am so sorry Liv. I should have been here."

"Yeah, you should have." Olivia still would not look at him.

There had been maybe ten more words exchanged by the couple in the following twenty four hours after Ed showed up at the hospital. And as Olivia was now being discharged to go home, the awkward silence was only going to build between them.

It started in the car, where Liv simply stared out the window at the busy New York streets for the entire ride. And it continued from the elevator ride up to their floor to the bedroom of their apartment. Amanda had offered to watch Noah for most of the day so that Olivia could get adjusted before the energetic little boy took over with his need for attention and that left the couple alone to stay silent.

However, there wasn't too much struggling as there were only about two options for where Olivia would be spending the next, at least, six weeks of her pregnancy. She opted for her bedroom, instead of the couch in the living room, for the rest of her day.

"Can I get you anything? Some water? Are you hungry?" Ed was scrambling to make his girlfriend as comfortable as he could.

"No." There was another mono-syllable answer from Liv just as she had been giving him in the hospital.

"Are you ever going to say more than one word to me, again?" Ed pleaded.

"I don't know, Ed. Am I important enough for you to listen to more than one word from me? Probably not because I'm not a new job offer or a priority for you."

"Olivia how can you say that?" Ed asked her, but then regretted it.

"Seriously?!" The anger was starting to boil within in her. "How can I say that? If you have to ask me that then you really have no idea how much you've hurt me."

Ed sighed. "I am so sorry, Liv. I am. I know that I messed up. I should have been here, I shouldn't have been in LA. The trip could have waited."

"It's not even that Ed. So you were in LA, whatever. I'm upset that I wasn't even worth talking to about this decision. We are having a child, whether you are ready or not and you have become like a father to Noah; you can't just expect me to sit here and let you run away to some new job and not be upset that you are leaving what I thought had become your family."

"I never said I was leaving." Ed told her.

"But what if you wanted to after this trip?" Olivia questioned. "And we hadn't even thought about what this meant for us? I deserve a conversation Ed. I've already had one person walk out of my life without ever talking to me about it. I can't handle another person walking out and especially not when I'm going to be left with a career, two children, and a house to take care of."

Tucker sat down on the bed. "Olivia, I never would have done that to you. I know that I didn't handle this right, but I wouldn't just decide to pick-up and leave one day. You and Noah and this baby mean too much to me for that to happen."

"You say that Ed, but how do I know you mean it. You left once already."

"Yeah I did and I completely regret it. But I promise you that it won't happen again. You are right, you don't deserve to be treated that way and our kids don't deserve for me to run in and out of their lives. That isn't the kind of father I want to be. But I have to be honest with you. This offer from LAPD looks really good and it's something that I never thought I would get. So I am not saying that I am going to give you some kind of ultimatum or make the decision to one day just pack up my life and leave you here. But I do want us to be able to talk this through, look at our options, and see what we want to do, together."

Olivia let Ed's words sink in. "That's fine, but I want you to remember that right now our lives are here. They started here separately and they came together here and as of right now they are continuing here. I don't want to write this opportunity off for you, I know what the job means to both of us, but I also can't give up my life and the position I have worked for."

"I never said that you would have to do that Liv. Please don't twist my words like that." Ed was trying not to get upset.

"That's not what I am trying to do. I am just making sure you know that there is two people involved in this and it's not just about what you want."

"It'll never be just about what I want." Tucker huffed.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Liv challenged his comment.

But before Ed could try to come up with an answer there was a knock on the door of their apartment. He got up off the bed to answer it knowing that it was most likely Amanda dropping off Noah.

"Tell Amanda I said thank you for everything." Olivia told Ed, the aggravation with her significant other still evident in her voice.

Ed walked out of the bedroom door and Liv could hear him open the front door and then exchange a few words with the blonde detective. She could also hear Noah babbling away, asking if his mama was home. His question was followed by the patter of small feet running from the living room, down the hallway, and to the bedroom.

Noah's face appeared around the door. "Mama?"

"Hi sweet boy." Olivia would never get tired of hearing her little boy call her that name, she had waited years for that name.

Noah came rushing in. "Manda took us to the park. She pushes me on the swing and I went down the slide, all by myself."

Liv beamed with pride listening to Noah tell her about his day. It would never get old listening to him rattle off all the best parts. No matter what was happening, Noah was the ray of light that his mom often needed and Olivia knew that the newest addition to the household would be able to do the same. As much as she didn't want to think it, even if Ed was not in the picture anymore, she could see herself being very happy with her babies.

"He already ate dinner, so I was going to give him his bath." Ed was standing outside the door.

"Okay, but bring him back in here when you're all done."

An hour later the mom and son were curled up together in bed, watching Finding Nemo, Noah's favorite.

"Should I put him to bed?" Ed had been busy working on paperwork and answering emails, trying to let Olivia cool off, while she spent some quality time with her boy.

Noah's head shot up at the sound of the word bed. "I don't want to. I want to sleep with mama."

"I know you do buddy, but we have to let mama get some sleep. She's had a long day and you love your new big boy bed, don't you?" Ed had become better at persuading the three year old, but sometimes his mind was too set to be changed.

"No! I stay with mama."

"It's fine Ed. He can stay in here tonight." Liv told him.

Ed gave up. "Okay, then."

"Besides, you're sleeping in the guest room tonight. So there is plenty of room for Noah." Olivia turned back to movie with her son.

 ** _* Ooohhh, Ed got banned from the bedroom. Looks like these two still have a lot to figure out. But for now, let me know what you thought. You guys have been leaving great reviews and I would love some more! *_**


	4. Chapter 4

_*** Alright, here we are with chapter 4. I have some plans for this story, so I am hoping that school won't completely get in the way and I can try to stay up on the updates to continue this. Now, read away! ***_

"Noah Porter, you better be going into that room and getting dressed right now." Olivia sternly warned her son.

"But I don't wanna!" Noah pouted.

"That doesn't matter. You have to get ready for school, it is not an option. Ed is in there waiting for you, so you better get a move on."

The little boy let a large huff and stomped his feet all the way into his bedroom.

Ever since she had been put on bed rest, Noah had been acting up and misbehaving more than usual. She knew it was because he wanted her time and attention. She understood that it was hard for him, but she really needed it to stop because she felt she couldn't make Ed and Lucy handle all of the toddler meltdowns.

And Olivia felt really guilty. Noah was always going to be her little boy, the one thing she had waited her whole life for. She was a mother because of him and she never wanted him to feel forgotten or that he was any less loved than the new baby because they wouldn't be adopted. But she knew that there would be times when it was very hard for her son to accept what was happening. She just wished it would happen after she was off of bed rest and could be a bit of help.

Ed returned from the bedroom, carrying Noah. "We had to make a small compromise."

Liv took a second and then realized that Noah was still wearing his Spiderman slippers. "You aren't really going to let him go to school in those are you?"

"For now, yes I am." Ed told her. "I packed another pair in his backpack so maybe by the time we get to school he'll be agreeable enough to put them on."

"I guess whatever works." Liv gave in.

"Well we'll just have to see if it actually does."

"Are you going to be home tonight? I think we need to get some things figured out." Olivia asked her boyfriend as he headed for the door.

Ed stared at her. "Does this mean I may actually get to sleep in my own bed instead of the guest room?"

"Maybe." Olivia said.

"Then yes, I will be home tonight, maybe even earlier, I might try to pick up Noah from school this afternoon and come home." Ed carried Noah out the door, promising to be home early.

The day passed rather uneventfully. Even though she was on bed rest, Olivia couldn't expect someone to baby sit her twenty four/seven, so she was able to heat up the food that Tucker was sure was always in the fridge and she could move between the couch and her bedroom. But the days still passed rather slowly and they would continue to for the next four weeks, or possibly longer.

Amanda, however, was able to stop by at around one, bringing with her some groceries and food she had made for the family.

"You know that you didn't need to do this, right Amanda?" Liv was sitting on the couch, Amanda in a chair across from her.

"Yes I did." Amanda insisted. "You all did the same for me when I was on bed rest with Jessie. It's the least I can do to return the favor."

Olivia shifted her weight. "Was it really that bad? I mean it's been hard, but I don't know if I'm ready for another month."

"It could have been worse and it could have been better." The blonde detective explained. "At least you have Ed and Noah to keep you company. And it's worth it. Once you know that the baby is healthy, you realize that you would have done anything for them and that bed rest wasn't the worst."

"That's all I want, a healthy baby. At my age, that would be a miracle."

Amanda wanted that for her lieutenant, too. "Everything up until now has been pretty good. I think you'll be fine."

"I really hope you're right." Olivia laid a hand on her stomach, feeling the kicks of her son or daughter.

"Hey, Liv?" Ed walked through the front door of the apartment later in the evening, setting Noah down and taking off of his coat.

"I'm in the bedroom." She yelled back in response.

Amanda had left about an hour after she came. Her and Olivia had talked for a while; the blonde filled her in on everything that was going on in the squad room with their temporary CO, making Liv realize that she missed being at the one-six.

Noah came running into the bedroom first, his tennis shoes now on his feet instead of his slippers.

"Mama! Mama! We painted today and I made you a picture."

He handed her a large piece of paper that was covered in a mixture of bright colored paints. If he had been trying to paint something in particular, she couldn't make it out, but either way it was special to the mom.

"Wow, thank you baby. I love it." Liv gushed.

"Can you hang it up in your room somewhere?" Noah asked her.

"Of course we can." Olivia told her son. "I'll have Ed hang it up in here after dinner, okay?"

"Okay, mama." Noah said.

Ed came into the room. "Why don't you come help me make dinner for us, Noah."

The two disappeared for about an hour while Liv watched some TV in her room. They returned with a plate of chicken and veggies for her and ate theirs in the kitchen, as Noah wasn't quite clean enough to eat anywhere else.

Per usual, Noah was rather difficult to get to bed that night. He refused to get in the bath and after he was finally clean, he was running around the house refusing to listen to his bedtime story. It was well past his usual bed time when he was finally in his bed, fast asleep.

"I'm sorry he's being so difficult. It's my fault." Liv told Tucker when he walked into the bedroom after having dealt with Noah.

"It's not your fault, Liv." Ed assured her. "He's a three-year-old, they've never been known for being easy and you can't blame yourself for all of this. He'll come around eventually."

Olivia sighed. "But is that fair to him? I mean we are basically forcing him to realize that he is no longer the only child and that he can't have all of the attention. He didn't ask for this."

"You are way overthinking this Liv. Plenty of people have more than one child and the children don't resent their parents for not stopping at one. Noah will love this baby; it may just take some time for his to adjust. You don't love him any less because we're having another child."

"I guess not." Olivia still wasn't convinced.

Ed took a seat on his side of the bed, facing his girlfriend. "Now you said you wanted to talk tonight."

"I do. We need to. We need to be on the same page here." She started.

"And what page would that be Liv?" Ed asked her.

"The one where we agree as to what the future of this family looks like, Ed, because right now I don't think we do."

He shook his head. "I know we don't. And I'm sorry for how I reacted when you said that it wasn't just about me. I know it isn't; it's just that this offer makes me so excited and I'm just having a really hard time saying no to it."

"I know you are. And I feel guilty for making you say no, Ed. I would be just as upset if you told me that I couldn't take another great job somewhere else. I don't want you to resent me or the kids because we were what stopped you from having your dream job. This is something that down the line could come back to bite us in the ass if we don't handle it now."

"I could never resent you or the kids." Ed said. "You all mean more to me than I ever could have imagined. I just wish we didn't even have to think about any of this. Nothing can ever just stay the same for any amount of time."

Olivia nodded in agreement. "That's for sure. But really Ed, are you upset about not taking the job? Be honest with me."

"Yeah, I am. But I would be more upset if this meant the end of us and that I wouldn't get to see the kids grow up. I just moved positions here and I do really like what we are doing. So no matter how much I wanted this other job, I want to be with you and the kids more."

"But I want you to give it a little more thought, okay? I know the job means a lot to us both and I don't want to be the reason you feel like you lost an opportunity." The guilty feeling that had recently overcome Olivia, just wasn't going to go away.

"I will, Liv. I will." Ed leaned over for a kissed met halfway by Liv.

That night, Ed was allowed back into the bedroom that they shared. Olivia didn't feel that everything was solved for good, but she was feeling much better about where they were compared to where they had been the last few weeks. And the anxiety she had been holding onto became less as she was more assured that Ed really was going to be there for their family for the long haul. They both went to bed easily, unlike the nights before.

However, at three am, Ed felt himself pulled from his deep sleep by Liv's hands shaking him awake.

"Liv, it's three in the morning. What's wrong?"

But he didn't get a response right away, instead he turned over to see Olivia, as white as a ghost and her eyes widened in horror.

"Liv, what is it?" Ed sat straight up at the site of her.

She opened her mouth to respond, but she still could not find her voice to give him a response. Instead, she flipped over her side of the covers, farther than they already were.

"Shit." Was all that Ed could get out.

Underneath the sheets was a large amount of blood, bright red and the cause of the Olivia's terror.

"Okay, Liv. We have to get you to the hospital right now." He stood up, running to find some clothes and shoes to put on so that he could help Olivia.

She couldn't move though. Liv felt herself getting weaker. She was still bleeding, it flowing heavily from her body and she was well aware that whatever was happening to her and their unborn child was bound to be life-threatening.

"Ed…" Her voice was barely a whisper but he heard her as he was tying his shoes.

"We're going, Liv." But he knew as he watched her that they were running out of time and he changed his direction. "You are going to be fine, Liv."

He left her side just for a moment, grabbing his phone from his bedside table. He dialed as quickly as possible, the operator on the other side answering almost immediately.

Olivia listened to what she could of Ed's conversation with nine-one-one, but she only caught few words as she felt the world around her dimming.

"Okay, Liv, please try to stay with me. The ambulance is on its way, but I need you to stay with me."

"Save… the… the baby." Liv barely spat the words out in a hoarse whisper.

"No, you both will be fine." Ed squeezed her hand.

 _ *** Okay, let me know all of your thoughts. I really want to know what you're thinking of this story and I love to read your reviews! Thank you in advance! ***_


	5. Chapter 5

_*** I couldn't leave you all with that cliffhanger for too long, so here is Chapter Five. Read away, folks. I hope you all like it! ***_

The sirens glared their red and blue lights in front of him as he followed behind in their Volvo SUV. They were screeching their way through the mostly empty New York streets; the noise howled through the quiet night, yet Noah still stayed fast asleep in his car seat in the back seat.

After the team of paramedics arrived, everything happened in a blur. They got Olivia out of the apartment as quickly as they possibly could and Ed followed closely behind, with Noah sleeping in his arms. He didn't want to have to bring the little boy, but at three thirty am, there wasn't anyone he could have called and Ed didn't have time to wait for someone to show up; he needed to be with Olivia.

Ed turned into the hospital parking lot as the ambulance headed straight for the emergency bay. He could see them roll Liv out of the back as he passed in search of the closest parking spot he could find. He pulled into one just on the other side of the building, barely in between the two white lines but he was in too much of a hurry to care how good or bad his parking job was. Tucker was careful getting Noah out of his car seat, if he could stay asleep until someone could come pick him up, it would be so much easier. And Ed tried not to jostle him as he fast walked into the same place that they had taken Liv.

"Can you tell me where they took the woman they just brought in?" He stood in front of the nurses' station talking to anyone who would listen.

"I can try sir." A young nurse answered him. "What is her name?"

"Benson… uhhh Olivia Benson." He stuttered.

The nurse typed the name into the computer. "I think that she has already been taken into surgery. But I would go up to the fourth floor, which is maternity, and wait there. It looks like that is where she will be when she is out of surgery."

From there Ed slowed himself down. He walked to the elevator just outside of the emergency room waiting area and waited with his thoughts.

Just a couple of weeks ago he had been in the same position with Olivia in the hospital. He had thought it was all lost then, now he felt even less certain that he would see her or their child again. What would he tell Noah? How could he tell him that his mom died trying to have another baby because he hadn't been enough? He couldn't. He couldn't explain it to Noah. He couldn't tell the squad. Or anyone else. Tucker could only hope he would not have to.

Over an hour after taking a seat in the maternity floor waiting room, Ed still had not heard anything. He had checked in with a few different nurses, multiple times, but no one had anything to share with him.

As his second hour was about to start dwindling on, a familiar face showed up in the waiting room.

"Amanda." Ed greeted the blonde detective. "Thank you so much for coming to get him."

"It's not a problem." Amanda assured him.

"Lucy had no way of getting her this early and she has classes this morning and…"

Amanda put up a hand to stop him from continuing. "You don't have to explain. I am happy to help."

Ed passed a groggy Noah, who had just woken up, to Amanda.

"How's Liv? The baby?" The blonde had to know before she left.

"I don't know anything." Ed sighed. "Nobody knows what's happening."

"I'm so sorry." Amanda apologized.

Tucker shook his head. "It's not your fault."

"Yeah but that doesn't make it any easier. Liv's been through enough without all of this."

Ed couldn't agree with Olivia's team member more. His girlfriend had been through more in the last few years than most people did in a lifetime. It wasn't fair; it would never be fair for her, but he thought that things might finally have been turning around with their relationship and Noah and the baby.

"Are you here for Olivia Benson?"

Ed looked up to see the face of a surgeon, their scrubs still on. Amanda had left with Noah almost an hour ago.

"Yeah, yeah I am. Do you know something?"

She nodded her head. "Yes. I'm Dr. Wilson. I was working with Dr. Anderson on Olivia and the baby."

"Then what is going on? Is she okay? Is the baby okay?" Tucker stood up.

"Right now Olivia is still in surgery with Dr. Anderson." The doctor explained. "I am the pediatric surgeon on call this morning. So I am handling your daughter's case."

"Surgeon? The baby needed surgery?" Ed could feel his heart beating faster.

"No they didn't need surgery. But with a baby that is eight weeks early, it is always best to have pediatric specialist in the room."

Ed took a few deep breaths, taking in all that he had been told. And then it dawned on him. "Wait, did you say daughter?"

"Yes, you have a daughter." Dr. Wilson confirmed.

"I have a daughter…" Ed was trying to let the news sink in. "Is she okay?"

"Well she was eight weeks early, so her lungs are very underdeveloped. We have started her on some steroids to help her lungs develop. But because of that, she has a breathing tube and she is connected to a machine that is breathing for her. Other than that, we haven't noticed any obvious defects or issues, but she will be on very close watch in the NICU."

"Can I see her? Is that allowed?" Ed asked.

"Of course you can." Dr. Wilson told him. "I will take you over to NICU right now."

Ed followed the female doctor down a few hallways, turning past the maternity ward, but staying on the fourth floor. They eventually passed through two double doors that separated the pediatric unit from maternity ward. Dr. Wilson finally held open a door for Ed that led to a room filled with incubators. Three down from the first in the row, was an incubator labeled _Baby Benson, Girl._

Ed stood next to Dr. Wilson, starring at his daughter from the clear plastic top of the incubator.

She was so tiny, probably couldn't have weighed more than four pounds. But she already had some dark hair on her head, just like her mother. The tube was down her throat and there was a strip across her face holding the tube in place. She seemed so helpless and her father hurt just seeing his little girl like that.

His _little girl_ , he couldn't believe that he was able to say that. Never in a million years would he have predicted that he would have a daughter. And with Olivia Benson.

"When will I know about Olivia?" Tucker asked Dr. Wilson, who was checking the baby's chart.

"I hope very soon." Dr. Wilson knew that the new father was worried. "I won't be the first to know, but I will go put a note in her chart, so that Dr. Anderson knows you are here and she can come tell you."

"Can I stay here then?" Ed wasn't sure.

Dr. Wilson chuckled. "Of course you can; you're her father. You can stay as long as you want."

Dr. Wilson left the dad alone with his daughter. A nurse offered him a seat and he graciously took it. There were two small cut-outs on the side of the incubator and the nurse explained to him that he was could put his hand through them and touch his daughter. Skin to skin contact was supposedly better for the baby.

"Eventually, when she gets a little bigger and a little stronger, you'll actually be able to hold her and do proper skin-to-skin contact. But for now this is the best we can get for her."

"How long will it be before I can hold her?" Ed asked the young nurse. She was in pink scrubs and kept a happy countenance.

"It really depends on the baby. We hope sooner than later, but it's hard to predict that at this stage."

The dad sat for an hour with his daughter. And he just watched her, her small chest rose and fall as she, or really the machine, breathed. She was so small; the incubator seemed to swallow her whole and make her seem incredibly helpless. But he knew that wasn't true; she was a little fighter, just like her mother, and she would pull through. He had to believe that she would.

But what he didn't know if he believed, was if her mom would pull through, too. He knew that the avoidance of his questions by nurses and doctors was not a good sign. Olivia was tougher that anyone, but even she could only handle so much. And he just hoped this didn't put her over the edge, not when they had Noah and their daughter to think about, now.

"I see that you two have met now." Tucker tore his eyes away from the baby for just a moment to see Dr. Anderson standing above him, watching him and his daughter.

Ed turned his gaze back to the baby. "Yeah I have."

"I know that it is hard to leave her now, but I think it would be better if we could talk in private." Dr. Anderson suggested.

Ed took one last long look at his daughter and then followed Olivia's doctor out of the NICU, into the hallway that was empty.

"Is she…" Ed was too scared to ask.

"She is stable." Dr. Anderson knew what he wanted to know.

Tucker let out a sigh of relief. "So she will be okay?"

"I don't want to guarantee anything just yet, but for now she is doing fine."

"How did this happen?" Ed questioned. "What caused all of this? She was following your instructions; she was on bed rest."

"It was a placental abruption, which basically means that the placenta and the uterus became detached and that is what caused the bleeding. We barely caught it in time, but we were able to deliver the baby and then stop Olivia's hemorrhaging. But she lost a lot of blood while we were operating; we had to give her two transfusions. It was very hard on her body; she is going to feel pretty weak for some time and the healing process for this surgery won't be too easy either."

"So she really is okay?" Ed wanted to be absolutely sure.

The doctor nodded. "Yes she is. But there a chance for a re-bleed, so we are watching her very carefully."

"Am I allowed to see her?"

"Yes you can." Dr. Anderson was instantly on the move back toward the maternity ward. "She is still pretty groggy and out of it because of the anesthesia. Because she is so weak, she will also be in and out of it, sleeping more than normal."

"Does she know about the baby?" Ed was following the doctor through the same doors he had come in earlier.

"Some of it. She knows that we delivered the baby, but other than that we haven't gotten a chance to explain it all to her yet. It's a lot to handle, so we were taking our time. But if she asks you, you can tell her what you know." Dr. Anderson said.

Finally, Dr. Anderson stopped in front of a room door.

"You can go ahead and go in. There will be nurses in and out and I will be back in about an hour."

"Thank you." Ed told her and then watched her walk away.

He pushed opened the door to Olivia's room and found her asleep. She seemed small, frail in the hospital bed, but he was happy to see her at all. He had wanted to know that she would be there for their children and right now he had at least that much.

 _ *** We have a baby. And we have an at least alive Olivia. Let me know your thoughts. Your reviews are always so appreciated! ***_


	6. Chapter 6

_*** Chapter 6, folks! ***_

"Ed? Ed?"

Tucker felt himself jolt awake at the sound of his name. He looked towards the hospital bed to see Olivia's sleepy brown eyes staring at him.

"I'm right here, Liv." He stood up and kissed the top of her head. His hand found hers and he gave it a tight squeeze, another way to assure her that he was there and would continue to be there.

It was almost twelve in the afternoon now; Liv had been asleep since Ed had entered her room bright and early that morning. And he had found himself much more tired than he had realized, which was why he had fallen asleep in the chair next to the bed for nearly five hours. The night had taken a toll on them both. However, Liv a lot more than Ed.

"The baby… Is the baby…?" Liv stuttered a bit, still feeling rather tired.

Ed's eyes lit up just at the thought of his little girl. "The baby is fine, Liv. She's beautiful."

"She?" It took her a moment, but Olivia had the same dawning moment that Tucker had when she heard that their baby was a girl. They both had been sure that they were having another boy.

" _How are we going to handle another boy? This guy has enough energy for five kids." Ed was chasing Noah around the house, trying to 'catch' him as Noah had requested._

" _We don't know that we are having another boy, Ed. It could be a girl. There is a fifty/fifty chance."_

 _Ed stopped chasing Noah, who had been distracted by one of his toys anyway, and was no longer interested in their little game. He walked over to his girlfriend who was cleaning up their mess from dinner, and he gently pressed a hand on her stomach. He almost immediately felt a kick against his hand._

" _He's really moving a lot in there." Ed pointed out._

 _Liv nodded. "They've been moving like that all day."_

" _Mama?" Noah had quietly walked into the kitchen, unnoticed by his parents until he spoke._

" _Yeah, baby?" Olivia dropped the dish rag she had in her hand and gave all of her attention to her son._

" _I wanna feel baby." He was only three years old, but Noah still had some idea of what was going on and he sort of understood that the baby was in mommy's tummy._

" _Come here, bud." Ed reached down and scooped Noah up. "Put your hand right here." He guided the little boy's tiny hand across his mama's stomach._

 _Olivia could feel the baby kicking. "Did you feel that Noah? The baby is moving just for you."_

" _I feel it!" Noah glowed with excitement. "I love baby!"_

 _Olivia was sure that in that moment her heart had completely melted. She had been blessed with the sweetest little boy._

" _Okay, maybe another boy wouldn't be so bad." Ed admitted, after watching the sweet exchange._

"Yeah, she, Liv. We have a daughter." Ed told her.

Olivia felt her breath hitch in her throat. She had a daughter; she really had a daughter. She was shocked and thrilled. Noah had a little sister.

"Have you seen her?" Liv asked.

"I have." Ed nodded. "She's a tiny little thing. She's got dark brown hair and she's going to look just like you. She's absolutely beautiful."

"Is she okay, though? She was two months early…" The mom was scared for her daughter.

"She's a little fighter, just like her mama." Ed assured her. "She's not able to breathe on her own right now or feed on her own. She has to have a tube down her throat to do both, but she's strong."

"It's my fault. I should have been more careful earlier on and I should have been resting more and asking for help. I was on bed rest for a reason and I should have been more careful…"

"Stop." Ed cute her off. "You did everything you could have done for our daughter. We knew going into this that we were facing a lot of risks and there was nothing more that you could have done. It was inevitable, babe. What was going to happen, was going to happen whether you rested more or moved less or had stopped working sooner. You're her mother and you never would have done anything to put her in danger. I know that and you know that."

"She shouldn't have to go through this. It's not fair that she has to start her life like this." Liv looked utterly defeated.

"No it's not fair. But she has a lot of people in her corner. She'll get through this and we'll have our daughter safe at home with us."

Liv tried to shift in her bed, before she asked another question, but the moment she tried to move a searing pain shocked her body. She had to bite her own lip to suppress the small scream she wanted to let out because the pain was so horrific.

"Careful, Liv." Ed reached out. "Let me help you."

But even with Ed's help, and he was as gentle as he could be, the pain Olivia was in, was almost unbearable. Her whole body was sore and the incision in her abdomen throbbed.

"How long am I going to be stuck in this bed?" Liv was doing her best to hold back the tears, but all of sudden it was all hitting her, hard.

She was realizing that she had almost died, that she and her daughter could have died. And now she was stuck in hospital bed, in more pain than she could have ever imagined and her little girl was somewhere in the hospital, fighting for her little life. Everything was upside down and there was nothing that she could do to turn it right side up.

Ed sighed. "It's going to be a while Liv, at least a week if not more probably. We almost lost you and you had to have major surgery, you'll have to wait a while before you'll be back to being one hundred percent."

"I was afraid that was going to be your answer." Liv let her head fall back against her pillow, letting out a deep breath.

"We'll get through this Liv. I promise." Ed squeezed her hand again.

But before Olivia could get in another word, Dr. Anderson came walking through the door.

"It's good to see you both awake now." She commented, having checked on Liv earlier to find her and Ed asleep. "How are you feeling, Olivia?"

"I've been better." Liv scoffed.

The doctor expected nothing more from her patient. "How about your pain?"

"It's… It's pretty bad." Liv hated to admit it.

"Okay, well I will have a nurse get you something for that right away. I just want to check your decision, okay?"

The doctor went about her business, asking Olivia questions and checking what she needed to.

Ed excused himself for a minute to check his phone. He had a few messages from Carisi and Fin asking if Liv was okay. He sent them a quick message back saying that everything was fine for now and he would let them know more later. There was also a voicemail from Amanda. She told him that she had called Lucy and let her off the hook for the day and following night; she would watch Noah and let him sleep at her house. The father was so grateful for his girlfriend's team who truly cared about her and their children.

Ed came back into the hospital room to Olivia asking the question he was waiting for her to ask him.

"When can I see the baby?" Her question was directed at Dr. Anderson.

Dr. Anderson thought for a moment. "We'll have to see. I need a nurse to come in and take your temperature because if you have one you won't be allowed in the NICU, but it can be very common after surgery for you to have one. And it depends on how you are feeling strength wise. I don't want to push you too far, too fast."

Tucker watched Liv's face drop. He knew that wasn't what she wanted to hear, but she had to take care of herself first. She wouldn't be any good to the baby or Noah if she wasn't well herself.

"I know that this is really hard, but you will get to see her very soon. We just have to make sure you're up to it. Your health matters just as much as hers." Dr. Anderson gave the mom a convincing smile and left the room.

"I need to see her." Liv was no longer holding back her tears.

"Sweetie, you will. I promise you will. She isn't going anywhere." Ed tried to reassure her.

"But that doesn't make a difference. I should be there for her. I am her mother and I am stuck in this bed, just hoping that she is okay, waiting for you or some nurse to give me updates."

"Liv. I can't imagine how you feel, but this doesn't make you a bad mom or any less of her mother. You love her, that is obvious, but because you love her and Noah, you need to get better for them. They're better off with a week without you, then a lifetime."

After shedding a few more tears, trying her best to stop as quickly as she could, Olivia gave into the exhaustion she was feeling and Tucker left the room to allow her to get some rest. He also wanted to go see the baby, but had not wanted to mention it to Liv because he knew that it would possibly upset her.

When Ed came into the NICU, he was greeted by a different nurse, but she was just as happy as the one who had been there the previously.

"Can I help you?" The nurse asked him.

Ed shook his head. "Just here to see my daughter."

He walked away towards the incubator with his little girl in it. He couldn't help but notice the label on the front again. In the craziness that had been their lives since finding out Liv was pregnant, the couple had never even discussed names.

He reached through the cut out in the side and stroked her little arm. She made a small cooing noise.

"We'll have to get you a name. I'll have to talk to your mama about that." The dad whispered.

He sat for nearly a two hours, just watching her. And he was so content.

When he returned to Olivia's room, only after calling Amanda to check on Noah and ending up on FaceTime call with the little boy who just had to see him. Ed promised him that he could see his mama later, too, when he called them back.

"Did you go see her?" Liv was laying in her bed, watching Ed walk through the door.

"Yeah I did." Tucker admitted.

Olivia tried to hide her disappointment. "How is she?"

"She's good." Ed said. "The nurse said she was having a hard time breathing earlier, but they got it under control now."

"I just want to see her so badly." Liv begged.

Ed didn't answer her right away. Instead he pulled out his phone, opened his photos, and handed it Olivia.

The mom could feel her heart start racing. And even though she was only staring at a picture of her daughter, she could still feel the tears welling in her eyes from just the sight of her.

She looked up to Ed with glassy eyes. "That's out daughter."

"She's our daughter." Tucker confirmed. "But I was thinking that she needs a name. Her label just says baby girl Benson and I was thinking that it would be nice if it had her name on it."

"And the right last name." Olivia corrected.

Ed just looked at her.

"Her last name is Tucker." Liv insisted.

"Really?" Ed was shocked.

The mom nodded. "Of course. She's your daughter Ed. And I want her to have your last name."

"Well then I am letting you be in charge of her first name. I've given enough to her." Ed tried.

"You're not getting off that… tha… tha eas…" Olivia tried to finish her sentence but her words were slurring.

"Liv?" Ed grabbed her hand.

But he didn't get a response. All he got was Olivia's body going limp into the bed and her eyes closing.

"Liv?! Olivia?" Ed screamed.

 _ *** My greatest joy in life is leaving you with cliffhangers. Not actually, but they make for such a great story. For now let me know what you are thinking, please! And I'll get working on the next chapter. ***_


	7. Chapter 7

_*** Chapter 7 is here! ***_

It was just a small re-bleed, nothing that was fatal, is what Dr. Anderson told him. He had nothing to worry about now. The doctor had gone back in and the surgery was successful and she felt even more confident that Olivia would be just fine.

And when forty-eight hours after her second surgery, Liv was feeling better and a little stronger, Ed finally started to believe what Dr. Anderson had told him.

"Can I get you anything Liv?" She had only been awake for five minutes, but Ed was already on high alert.

"Will you just help me sit up a little bit more?" Liv asked him.

He nodded. Ed gave her a hand and slid his other behind her back, very gently moving her up on her pillows. He could see on her face that even though she was starting to gain some of her strength back, she was obviously still in quite a bit of pain.

"Do you want me to get you some more water?" Ed grabbed her glass before she could answer.

"No thanks." Liv told him. "Have you talked to Dr. Anderson today?"

Ed knew that she was asking because the day before, the doctor had mentioned that there was a very good possibility that Olivia could finally get out of bed and go see her little girl.

"She hasn't been in yet." It was only eight in the morning and Ed had only seen nurses since he had gotten there. He had gone home the night before, at Liv's request, to stay with Noah. "She should come by soon, I'm sure."

"Did you go see the baby this morning?" The only thing in her mind was her daughter.

Tucker smiled slightly just at the thought of the baby. "I stopped by really quickly. The nurse said she was doing really well."

The mom wanted to know everything about her baby girl, but she also didn't want to know because it killed her to find out from everyone else how she was doing. Liv had never wanted anything more than to lay her own eyes on her daughter. To see her dark hair that Ed had told her about. And to be able to reach through the cut-outs and just feel her. She just wanted some kind of contact with the baby.

"What about Noah? How was he last night?" Olivia tried to change the subject so she didn't get any more upset.

"I've never had him be so excited to see me." Ed explained. "He didn't want to go bed, all he wanted to do was show me the new toys that Uncle Fin bought him. And we watched Finding Nemo until he fell asleep in our bed."

"I'm glad you went home to him. He needed to have some time with you." Olivia had hoped that changing the subject to her son would help, but she missed him terribly.

"Yeah, it was good to…" Before Ed could finish his sentence, his phone was ringing.

Liv tried to listen to the conversation he was having, but she couldn't quite figure out who he was talking to or what he was talking about. She was curious, though.

Ed hung up the phone a minute later, mumbling something to himself.

"Who was that?" Liv wanted to know.

"That was Lucy." Ed sighed. "Something happened with her mom and she really needs to go help her. So I told her she could drop Noah off here before she went."

"Just what Noah needs to do, hang out in the hospital all day." Liv wasn't thrilled, even if she wanted to see her little boy.

"Well I'll figure something out for him. I'll try to call Amanda or Fin later and see if they can come get him until I can get home tonight."

Less than an hour later, Lucy had dropped Noah off. The little boy was thrilled to see Ed again. But the icing on top of his three-year-old cake was the moment he saw his mama.

"Mama! Mama!" Noah ran as fast as his little legs would take him to the side of her bed.

Ed followed behind him and picked him up.

"Hi my sweet boy. Mama missed you so much." Liv had never been happier to see those big brown eyes looking at her.

"I want to see mama, Ed." Noah reached for Olivia.

But Ed pulled him back in. "I know you want to buddy, but you have to be very careful with mama. She's a little hurt right now, so she can't hold you."

It nearly broke Liv's heart to not be able to cuddle her son, but she knew that she was in no way ready handle the toddler on her own. So for now, she would have to be content with just being able to watch him and listen to him talk to her. And it was more than the mom could say for her little girl.

"I see that the whole family is here today." Dr. Anderson had come into the room unnoticed.

The family turned to see the doctor, even Noah was watching her. "Yeah, we decided this morning was an event." Ed answered her.

"Well it very well might be." Dr. Anderson suggested. "It looks like you don't have a fever and from what I can see you seem to be well enough to get out of bed and go see that little girl of yours."

Ed could see Olivia's eyes light up at the sound of her doctor's words.

"Really?" Liv was in disbelief.

"Yes really. I think you are up to it, at least for a little while. We'll work our way up to longer periods of time, but for now you are ready to at least get to see her. I know you want to."

Fifteen minutes later, and with some struggle because of Olivia's pain, they had gotten her into a wheelchair. She protested it at first, but there was no other way for the mom to go see her daughter, so she eventually gave into the wheeling device.

Ed followed as the nurse pushed Liv and he carried Noah. The little boy had no idea that he was about to meet the one person who would forever change his life, but for now she was just the baby, at least until she came home and wanted the attention of his parents, too.

They all walked through the door of the NICU. The nurse took Olivia to her daughter and Ed stayed behind to watch her.

The mom felt like her heart stopped the moment she finally laid eyes on her baby girl. She was perfect, just as tiny as Ed had described her, but she still had the dark hair that he said resembled hers. Olivia couldn't help the tears that she felt forming. Her daughter was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She was immediately in love with her, more than she ever could have imagined. Liv loved Noah with all of her heart and she had no idea that she could love another tiny human just as much and so instantaneously.

She looked up to Ed, who was standing with Noah. "She is so perfect."

"She is. She really is." Ed agreed.

"Noah, do you want to meet your sister?" Liv looked to her little boy.

Ed came closer to the incubator and Noah just stared at the baby.

"That's your sister, Noah." Ed encouraged him.

"Baby?" Noah asked, cautiously.

"Yeah sweetie." Liv told him. "That's the baby that was in mommy's tummy and now she is your little sister."

Noah watched her for a little while. He obviously had no idea what to think about the new baby. He was only three, so the whole concept of having a new sister was a little over his head. Maybe once she was at home, Noah would be able to make more sense of who the baby was.

"Sister?" Noah asked again.

"Yep, she's your little sister. You're her big brother Noah." Ed tried to explain to him.

"That's my baby!" Noah announced.

"Well I suppose that that's better than the opposite reaction he could have had." Ed tried.

"Let's just wait until we get home with both of them. I don't think he'll probably like _his_ baby that much anymore."

The family sat for a little while longer. Their conversation had stopped but they were all content in the silence, even Noah, who stayed snuggled up with Ed. It was their first time together as a family of four and Olivia wanted to take in every second of it.

"She still needs a name." Ed looked over to Liv.

"That she does." He said. "But we don't have to do that right now, if you don't want to. We can wait and I know I mentioned it, but we don't have to rush. I figured you would need some time to think about."

"What do you think the name Layla?" Liv asked him suddenly.

"Where did that come from?" Ed hadn't ever heard her mention it before.

"My mom's sister… my aunt. It was her name." Olivia admitted.

Ed could tell that she was hesitant to mention it. "Why haven't you ever talked about her before?"

"She died when I was thirteen." Liv started. "But she meant a lot to me. I remember going over to her house when my mom… when she would have one of her worse days and Layla would make me dinner and help me with my homework. She was like my mom when my mom wasn't there."

"Well I like the name. And I like it even more because I know that it means a lot to you." Ed could tell by the way she talked about her aunt.

"You don't have to like it just because I do. I want her name to be something we both chose."

"Olivia." Tucker stopped her. "I want this to be her name if it's what you really love. She's your daughter."

"Our daughter." Liv reminded him.

"Layla." Ed confirmed.

"We really have a daughter." Even staring at her little girl, Liv could barely believe the words coming out of her own mouth.

"Would you mind…" Ed hesitated. "Maybe, using my mom's name for her middle name?"

Liv knew. "Jean?"

"Yeah. I think it fits pretty well and she would have loved to have been here to meet her granddaughter."

Ed's mother was still alive, but she lived in Connecticut and it was getting harder for her to travel to see her son. But she had been thrilled when Ed told her about the newest addition to their family.

"Of course, Ed."

The happy family continued to sit in the NICU, watching their now named daughter and trying to keep Noah occupied. Before long there was an annoying and insistent beeping coming from one of the many machines the baby was attached to. The young nurse came over right away.

"Is she okay?" Ed asked.

The nurse worked without responding at first.

"Is something wrong?" Olivia didn't like not getting an answer.

Finally, the beeping stopped and the nurse answered. "She's fine. Her breathing just slowed a little too much so I had to adjust the machine. It'll happen for a while until she can really start breathing on her own. It is just something that has to be watched very closely."

Liv looked to her little girl, the tube down her throat, the other monitors attached to her chest. It was going to be a long time before she got to go home and be a normal baby with her parents and big brother. It was a hard thing for the mom to think through, to know what her daughter would have to endure, but she was a little fighter.

"She's going to be okay, Liv. She will." Ed told her, knowing almost exactly what she was thinking about.

Liv looked to him, grateful that he was by her side. "I know she will."

 _ *** Alright, Olivia is okay and I had to get some other fluff in there too. Hope you liked it! Leave me your thoughts! ***_


	8. Chapter 8

_*** Chapter 8! I am currently drowning in finals week, but I had some time and inspiration so I figured I would get a new chapter out for all of you. I hope you like it! ***_

"How are we supposed to leave her?" Olivia stared at her daughter.

She had grown so much in two weeks, but not enough to be ready to go home with her family and she probably wouldn't be ready for a while.

"Liv, we'll be here every day and it's not like we're saying goodbye. Before we know it, she'll get to come home. She needs to be here right now." Ed tried to assure her.

Liv sighed. "I guess."

That's not enough for the mom though. Nothing will make her feel ready to go home, even though she wants nothing more than to be with her son and sleep in her own bed and eat real food. None of it would be the same when she knew that her little girl was suffering.

"She'll be okay. She will, really." Ed placed a reassuring hand on her lower back.

Liv leaned her head against his shoulder and they stood there for a little while longer. Layla wriggled and yawned, the parents watched every move she made. Her dark hair was growing and both parents thought she was also going to have the same big brown eyes that her mama did.

"We should get you home, Liv. Maybe we can come back later tonight, but you need to get some rest. It's been a long morning." Ed told her.

After fourteen days of being cooped up in the hospital, Olivia was finally discharged. She still had a lot ahead of her. She would have to see Dr. Anderson every two weeks for six weeks because even though nothing had come up, the doctor wanted to be one hundred percent sure. However, all that Liv wanted was her daughter home and to be cleared to do what she needed and it seemed further and further away that she would be returning to normal.

"The nurses have both of our numbers right, in case they need to get a hold of us?" She was stalling.

"Yes they do, Olivia. They have what they need." Ed knew it was hard, but he was also worried about his girlfriend and what she needed.

After, Ed was finally able to drag Liv out of the NICU, almost literally, their drive home was quiet. Ed kept his eyes on the road and Olivia looked out the window of the passenger seat, grateful to be out of the hospital, but not able to take her mind off of Layla.

"Mama!" Noah scampered across the living room floor, crashing into her lags, and hugging them tightly.

Liv winced slightly at the pain that come with her three yeah old running into her. "Hi sweet boy."

"Hey Noah, you have to be a little more careful there, bud." Amanda came following after the little boy. She had spent the afternoon with Noah and brought Jessie along with her.

"Thank you for staying with him Amanda. It's been such a big help." Ed knew their family wouldn't have gotten through the last couple of weeks without her.

"I hope he hasn't been too much trouble." Olivia said. "I know that he's been a little bit of handful with Lucy since everything happened. I hope he was better for you."

Amanda shook her head. "No, he was great. Him and Jessie have been playing together. She adores him."

"Maybe that means that he will get along with his little sister better than I thought he would." The mom could at least hope.

"How is Layla? Did they tell when she might come home?" Amanda asked.

"Nothing is really set yet. They think that she is really close to coming off the feeding tube, but she still needs the help breathing and until that gets figured out, she will be in the NICU. So probably another month, hopefully less, but I don't know."

Amanda felt so sympathetic towards her lieutenant. She couldn't imagine what it was like to watch your child go through so much. "Well, I'm sure she'll be okay and the time will fly by anyway. And if you guys need anything, just ask."

"Thank you so much." Liv knew that their relationship hadn't always been very solid, but the blonde detective had really been trying and she was a big reason behind the family getting through this very rough period.

Amanda rounded up all of her things and left with Jessie, leaving the family alone for the evening. For a while Liv sat on the couch watching Noah play and he showed her all of his toys and the things that Fin and Carisi had brought for him. The little boy was spoiled by his mama's team.

"How does Chinese takeout sound? We don't have anything here." Ed came and sat down on the couch next to Liv.

"It sounds great." Liv was ready for food that didn't come from the hospital cafeteria.

An hour later the family was sitting at the table, filling their plates with warm Chinese food. Noah was still babbling, making up for the time he had missed with his mom and Ed.

Ed's phone rang in the middle of Noah talking about swinging at the park.

Liv watched him. He walked into the living room and she couldn't hear what he was saying. She assumed it was something important since he was willing to answer in the middle of their dinner.

Ed returned to the table a moment later. "Sorry about that."

"Who was it?" Olivia asked him.

"Umm… just a work thing. Nothing that was important." He was obviously not telling her everything.

"Oh okay." Liv didn't question him any further because she didn't want to ruin their first dinner back at home together, but she would be sure to bring it up later.

When dinner was done and cleaned up, Ed took Noah to take his bath. Liv sat on the edge of the tub, while she watched Ed wash his hair. She missed bath time. Even if it was the smallest part of her day, she liked the extra time she got to spend with her son.

"Are you sure that phone call earlier wasn't anything?" Noah was asleep now and Liv was curious.

"Just some stuff left to deal with for the LAPD thing." Ed admitted.

That's when it dawned on Olivia. "You haven't told them no yet have you?"

Ed let out a deep breath, like having her know was a weight off of his shoulders, but it was also something he hadn't wanted to discuss just yet. She had been through so much and their family was going through so much, he didn't want to drop this on her so soon.

"I know we talked about this and this isn't something that is great for our family, but I couldn't bring myself to say no and then everything happened."

"They do realize that you can't just pick up and leave right now, right?" She asked.

"I'm not expecting to, Liv." Ed explained. "I'm not really expecting to go at all, but you told me to think about it, to really decide if I could let it go, and I thought I could when we talked. But after this all happened it got me thinking about what we could do it, maybe we needed to do it. This job would be enough for us, you could stay at home, be with the kids. You have enough years to retire with your pension."

"Retire?" Olivia asked to clarify that what she had just heard was correct.

"You've been through so much. Don't you ever think about leaving? About finally getting to be normal, to be able to spend the time with the kids?" Ed tried.

Liv scoffed. "Of course I've thought about it. I think about it all the time, every night that I'm sitting in my office instead of being at home with you and Noah or every time that I've been chased by a serial killer or a rapist. Noah, and now Layla, are my life, I would give anything to be with them more. But for so long all I had was my job and it isn't something I can just pick up and walk away from."

"I'm not trying to take anything away from you, Liv. I just thought that maybe after all of this, you would rethink what your priorities were."

"Rethink my priorities?" Olivia couldn't believe that he had said that to her.

"I didn't mean it that way." Ed pleaded.

Liv rolled her eyes. "I care about a lot more than my job, Ed. But before you were here Ed, I was the only one keeping this household afloat. I had to work because we needed a roof over our heads and I needed to provide for my son. It was the first time since I became a cop that my job was more than my life, it was something I had to have."

"But you don't have to have it anymore, Liv. I can provide for our family. I want to provide for our family. I want you to be able to be a mom, something you always wanted to do. You can't tell me that you don't like the idea of getting to be here with our children."

"Ed I'm not saying that I don't want to be here with the kids, but I'm not ready for everything to change so quickly. We just had a baby, a baby that needs both us and will for a while. We've just moved into this apartment; we still have things in boxes. I hate that I am telling you to give up your dream job, but we as a family, aren't ready to make this move."

Ed let out a deep sigh. "You're right, Liv. You're right."

"I'm sorry Ed." Olivia knew she was letting him down. "But maybe this won't be the last time you get an offer like this. You're a good cop, you deserved this and you'll deserve whatever else you get. It just needs to be at a better time than this one."

"I'm not blaming you, Liv. I just wish we were in a different position right now." Ed couldn't be mad at Olivia for making sense, even if he was upset about losing the job.

Liv could see that Ed was upset. But they had been through it all before, the timing was not good and was even worse now with everything happening with Layla. She wanted him to be happy, but she also needed to think about what was best for their family.

"I really am sorry. I hate to stop you from doing this, but I need you're here with us."

A ringing interrupted them, though, a few minutes after the room had become silent.

"That's mine, Ed. I think it's in the bedroom on the night stand." Liv told Ed, even though he was already standing up, walking toward the noise.

Ed had picked up the phone for Olivia. And when he walked back into the room, after hanging up, she could see that something was not right.

Liv stood up slowly from the couch. "Ed, who was that?"

"It was… it was Layla's nurse." His voice was very unsteady.

"What… is something…" The worried mom couldn't even form her words. "Something is wrong, isn't it?"

Ed could only look at her. He finally thought they were in the clear. Olivia was home, Layla would be home with them soon enough and she was doing so well. But nothing could stay the same, something always had to come next, and ruin what they had.

"They had to… they had to take her… into surgery." Ed said it quietly, like that would make it seem less real.

"Surgery?" Liv was trying her best to not allow the tears that were welling in her eyes start to fall.

"Something happened this afternoon, I don't know." Ed was still shocked.

 *** Well would you look at that. Cliffhangers are probably my only specialty. Let me know what you think though, please! ***


	9. Chapter 9

_*** I can't believe that it has taken me so much time to update this story! I am so sorry! I will try my best to be better for the remainder of the story, but I can't guarantee anything. I am working through some ideas for how I want to continue with this story and what I want to happen. However, for now here is what I have. Read and enjoy! ***_

Olivia stared out the windshield. It was raining, hard, and the windshield wipers were going just as fast as Ed was driving. They weren't saying anything. He knew no matter what he told her, Liv would not believe anything would be okay until she saw it for herself and quite honestly, he wasn't sure he believed that his little girl would be alright.

"Where is she? Is she still in surgery?" The questions flew out of Ed's mouth as soon as Layla's nurse came into view when the parents walked into the NICU.

"I am expecting her out at any minute, but she's still with Dr. Wilson in the OR." The nurse wore bright pink scrubs that Olivia had once found cute, but now found them utterly obnoxious. "And I think it would be best if you sat out in the waiting room until Dr. Wilson can come talk to you."

The parents trudged back to the waiting room. But Ed couldn't sit, so instead he paced the room. And Liv sat in a chair folded forward with her head in her hands.

Dr. Wilson stopped just short of the pair when she was coming to talk to them. She hadn't been noticed by either of them yet. The doctor always found that this was the hardest part of her job. Whether she had good news or bad news or news that would otherwise alter a family forever, she struggled to let parents know just how much their child was suffering.

"Olivia? Ed?" Dr. Wilson took the step into the waiting room.

Liv's head instantly shot up. "Is she okay? How is she?"

"What happened?" Ed had stopped pacing and was now standing next to his girlfriend.

"Let's sit down." Dr. Wilson sat down across from the couple. "We noticed this afternoon, after you both left, that Layla's heartbeat was more irregular than it had been. So we had to run a few tests and it turns out she had something called PDA. It stands for Patent Ductus Arteriosus."

"What does that even mean?" Olivia asked.

"It means that there was a hole in one of the arteries in her heart. We hadn't noticed it before because the machine was doing all of her breathing for her and it covered it up, but since we have been trying to see where is she with breathing on her own, we noticed it."

Ed let out a deep breath. "Is it something that can be fixed? Can you do anything about it?"

Dr. Wilson nodded. "Yes, we can. It's actually something that can be very common in our preemies. We go in and use a small skin graft to cover the hole. The procedure went very well and Layla is back in the NICU now."

"Will this mean that she has to be there longer now?" Liv was having a hard enough time thinking about the time that her daughter would be stuck in the hospital without this on top of it.

"It shouldn't." Dr. Wilson assured her. "It might actually mean that she gets to come home sooner than we expected. This heart problem was affecting her more than we realized, so in all actuality this may help her move along faster."

"Are we allowed to see her?" Ed needed to see his daughter.

Dr. Wilson nodded and headed in the direction of the NICU. The eager parents followed closely behind. When they walked in, the doctor let the couple continue on, so that they could see their daughter and she went back to labor and delivery.

"This isn't fair." Olivia sighed. "She doesn't deserve all of this. No baby should have to go through this."

"She's strong, though, Liv." Ed tried.

Olivia shook her head. "She shouldn't have to be. She should be at home with us. Or better yet, I should still be pregnant. If I had slowed down, if I had been more careful, we wouldn't be here."

"Liv…" Ed started but was interrupted.

"It's my fault. I knew what was at stake and I didn't take it seriously."

"No. You can't blame yourself. Nothing you could have done would have changed this Olivia. I know that it's not fair to her or to us as a family, but you are not to blame for this."

"I just want to hold her. I just need to hold my baby girl." Liv wiped away the stray tears falling down her cheeks.

"Are you sure this is okay?"

Olivia watched as the nurse very gently took the baby into her arms. The little girl squirmed. This was the first time since the baby had been born that the mom was getting to hold her and she could barely contain her joy.

"We wouldn't have come this far if she wasn't ready." The nurse knew that the mother was just anxious.

The nurse adjusted her hold on Layla as she transferred the tiny girl into Liv's arms. The small weight of the baby felt like it was meant to be there, the warmth of her small body against her own filled some hole Olivia hadn't even known she had.

"My sweet girl." Liv stroked the baby's cheek.

It had been almost two weeks since Layla's surgery and she was recovering well, but it had taken that long before she was stable enough to leave the safety of her incubator. Her breathing had become much steadier and she was starting to drink from a bottle when she needed to be fed. There was only a small scar on her chest from her surgery, something she would carry with her forever, but also something that showed how strong she was.

"She seems even smaller now." Ed watched over Liv's shoulder at his daughter.

Layla did seem very little. She weighed just over five pounds now, but was gaining weight much more quickly than right after she was born. It was another sign that she was improving. Another sign that she would be able to come home soon.

"Maybe we can bring Noah again tomorrow, let him see her." Liv suggested.

Ed took a moment before he answered, he was distracted. "Yeah… yeah we can bring him."

"Something wrong?" Liv asked him. "We don't have to bring him if you don't think it's a good idea."

"No that's not it. It would be really good to bring Noah, let him spend some time with Layla and get more used to being around her." Ed agreed.

"Then what's up Ed? You seem a little distant."

The man let out a deep breath. "I just keep looking at the label, Layla's name completely written out with my last name."

"Is there something wrong with your last name being on there? I mean you are her father, that's kind of how it works." Olivia didn't quite understand.

"No, it's not that my least name is there." He explained. "I love that my last name is there, that our daughter is named after me. But I can't help but feel like her brother should have the same last name too."

"What do you mean?" Liv pressed him.

"I mean that maybe it's time I start thinking about officially adopting Noah." Ed admitted.

Olivia wasn't expecting that. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah I am. I want him to know that I'm there for him, that I love him just as much as I love her. He needs to know that he's equal in my eyes. I don't ever want him to feel like Layla is more important to me." Ed told her.

Liv stopped and just stared at Ed. She never in a million years thought that Ed Tucker would be the man that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, yet here they were. They were in the NICU visiting their daughter, talking about her son, who could very well become his son as well. Olivia had watched her life change in front of her and she wasn't even sure when it had happened, but she was happy. And Noah was happy and their little girl was thriving.

"Ed, Noah loves you." She said.

"But you don't want me to be his father?" Ed asked. "I would understand Liv. I'm not really father material and I'm sure you never thought we would be in this position. But I love him."

"I'm not saying that Ed." Olivia tried.

"You don't have to say it. I don't want to overstep my bounds here, Liv. You're his mom."

"And you're his dad, Ed." Liv told him.

Ed opened his mouth to say one thing, but closed it and said something else. "What?"

"You're the only man who has ever been in Noah's life. He doesn't know anyone else and you have taken on the role as his father and I could not appreciate that more. I never thought he would get to have a dad and I always assumed that I would have to play both parts. But now he has you, I have you. I want you to be his dad." Olivia was certain.

"Thank you." Ed said sincerely.

"Now do you want to hold your daughter?" Liv was trying to lighten the mood.

Ed just nodded and put his arms out to transfer the baby into his own arms. She settled into her daddy's arms easily and Ed couldn't believe that after weeks of watching her through those plastic walls, Layla was really resting against him.

"I don't want to interrupt." The NICU nurse came up to the parents. "But she's due for a feeding and thought maybe you would like to feed her for yourselves."

"We would love that." Olivia told the nurse.

A few minutes later, the nurse returned with a bottle and gave the parents a few instructions on how to feed the baby since she was still transitioning to only being bottle fed.

"Here, you can take her again." Ed started to give Layla back to Liv.

"You don't want to feed her?" Olivia asked. "You know that you will probably have to eventually."

Ed was a little surprised. "I just figured that you would want to."

"I do, but you should do it. I want you to get some time to bond with her. I'll get my whole maternity leave to feed her."

The dad didn't argue, but instead kept the baby in his arms and took the bottle from Liv. Layla began feeding right away and Ed watched her closely. Her eyes were glued to him and they were just like her mom's, a dark chocolate brown. And they were innocent and so sweet.

"She's got you wrapped around her little finger already, daddy." Liv joked.

Ed chuckled. "Yes she does."

"And I am sure that she always will." Liv told him.

 _ *** Alright, so a little bit of drama but mostly fluff. Sometimes I just like to write things that give you guys the warm fuzzies. Let me know your thoughts and be on the lookout for an update (hopefully soonish)! ***_


	10. Chapter 10

_*** Here we are with a new chapter. Ready away! ***_

"Noah Porter, what did I just tell you about running down the hallway? You have to hold one of our hands." Olivia scolded her son, as he tried to his best to escape her and Ed.

"I'm just gonna see my baby." Noah's words were so innocent; Liv couldn't help but feel a little guilty for being angry with him.

"I know you are sweetie." Liv acknowledged her son's excitement about his little sister, something she didn't want to spoil. "But we have to be careful in the hospital because there are a lot of people and they have important jobs to do, so you can't get in the way."

"Okay…" Noah knew that he had to listen to his mama, so he begrudgingly took Ed's hand and followed along by his side until they made it to the NICU.

"I'm happy to see the whole family here today." Their regular nurse greeted them.

"Well today seemed like the day to have everyone here." Ed remarked.

The nurse smiled at the family. "That is absolutely right. I'll call Dr. Wilson and we'll get this show on the road."

While the nurse did what she needed to do, Olivia, Ed, and Noah made their way over to where Layla lie in her bed. She wiggled and stretched under her blankets, trying to escape the confinement.

"I can't believe we are bringing her home today." Liv admired the sweet baby girl.

It had been almost three weeks since Layla's surgery and although the weeks had been longer than the parents had hoped, the day had finally come for her to go home with them. She was a strong little girl and the day before she had passed all of the tests that she needed to for her to be able to go home. It was earlier than expected and they were thrilled to complete their family, but Ed and Olivia felt a little overwhelmed. They would have two children at home now and they both would need their full attention.

"I can't either, but I'll be so glad to have her with us and not have to keep going back and forth to this place." Ed admitted. "I also won't miss all the doctors and nurses; they've been great but I'm tired of the hovering."

"Well we won't be hovering for much longer." Dr. Wilson appeared behind them, having heard Ed's comments.

"I didn't mean that." He tried to spit the words out, but he was obviously flustered.

"Don't worry, I take no offense in it. I understand that a hospital isn't exactly where you want to spend the first weeks of your child's life."

"But we are so grateful for everything that you have done." Olivia tried to save them.

Dr. Wilson gave her a warm smile. "Well it's been my pleasure, but let's get these papers signed and get you guys on your way. I know how eager you probably are to get home with your little girl."

There was more paperwork than either parent was expecting and by the time they finished signing, Noah was making laps around the NICU, their nurse doing her best to entertain him. And he enjoyed the attention, but he would be much happier at home with his sister and parents.

"Alright, so that is all I need form you. I want to see you back in a week, to check on her. From there I will probably see her every two weeks for six weeks, unless something else comes up, then call right away. Even if you think it's small, call and we'll let you know where to go from there."

"Do you think it's likely that something will come up? Is there anything we should be looking for?" The panic was obvious in Olivia's voice.

Dr. Wilson tried to retract her words. "No, you shouldn't be worried. She is ready to go home, but with our preemies, sometimes something shows up that we just weren't aware of. Just keep your eye out for anything abnormal and you'll be okay."

Even though the doctor seemed sure that Layla was ready to be home, Olivia wasn't sure that she was ready to take care of her without the help of any nurses and while also trying to keep Noah entertained and happy.

"Ed, are you sure that you have her car seat in there the right way?" Liv had watched him very carefully place the baby in the car, triple checking that he had done it correctly, but she still had to assure herself that they would get home safely.

And Ed appeased her, trying not to get annoyed. "I'm sure it is. She'll be completely safe riding home."

Olivia took his word for it and got into the backseat next to her daughter. Noah sat buckled into his own car seat on the other side of his sister and he watched her intensely, his big brown eyes not moving away from her the whole twenty-minute drive back to the apartment. He would reach his hand into her car seat and pat her tummy or try to hold her hand and Liv watched with pride, knowing that her little boy would be a great big brother.

When they walked up to their apartment, Noah insisted that he help carry the car seat with Ed.

"You love your little sister don't you bud?" Ed asked as they walked down their hallway.

"Yeah. I love her!" Noah grinned.

Olivia was sure that her heart was going to burst.

"Can Layla sleep in my room with me?" They had just walked through their front door, when Noah asked his mom the question.

"I don't think so buddy." Liv told her son. "Remember that's why we moved here, so that you and Layla could have your own rooms."

"Well… Can I at least show her my room?" Noah decided that would be good enough.

Olivia smiled and ruffled her son's hair. "Of course you can."

Ed took Layla out of her car seat and handed her to Liv. The mom then followed Noah into his room. He insisted on showing the baby absolutely everything, all of his toys, his bed, his chest of drawers, his closet where his clothes hung. Even though Layla was asleep by the time the tour was over, Noah was beaming with pride when he told Ed about what he had done.

The family settled rather quickly. Olivia attended to the kids' needs while Ed made and cleaned up their lunch, started the laundry, and had even gotten Noah to go down for his nap without a fight.

"Do you want to feed your daughter, dad?" Liv placed the baby into Ed's arms.

"I would be happy to." Ed agreed. "Why don't you go take a nap or something? I know you're exhausted."

"As much as I hate to admit it, that sounds like a great idea. Do you think you can handle her by yourself?"

"I think we'll get along just fine." Ed smiled at his little girl.

A couple of hours later, after both Noah and Liv had woken up from their naps, the sound of Ed's phone ringing filled the apartment and after his conversation with whomever was on the other line, Olivia could tell that something was wrong.

"Who was that?" Liv asked from her place on the couch, where she was feeding Layla and Noah was doing his best to help.

"It was…" Ed was trying his best to think of how to answer her question without tipping her off. "It was work."

"Do they need you?" Even with his best effort, Olivia could tell something about the call was bothering her boyfriend.

"Look I'll try to get someone here to help you with them." Ed tried.

"Do you have to go in? They can't find anyone else?" She didn't want to have to be alone with both kids the first day they were home.

Ed wrung his hands together, still doing his best not to reveal too much to Olivia. "I wish they could, but they've asked that I be there and it's something I can't say no to."

Liv tried her best to hide how upset she was because even though she wanted Ed to be with her and the kids, she knew that sometimes when the job called, you just couldn't say no.

"I promise I'll make some phone calls before I leave and make sure someone can be here with you, okay?" Ed assured her, as he walked into their bedroom. He changed as quickly as he could, calling Amanda as he did so.

When he returned to the living room he seemed even more frazzled than he had before.

"Ed, what is going on? You have to leave right this second?"

"I know. I don't want to either, but they said they needed me ASAP. I called Amanda and she will be here in the next twenty minutes. Will you be okay?"

Olivia sighed. "We'll be fine."

"Okay, I'll call you as soon as can." Ed laid a kiss on her forehead and headed toward the door.

"Be careful." Liv's words stopped him for a moment before he walked back out of the door he had entered with his family just hours earlier.

Once she was alone with the kids, Olivia turned a movie on for Noah to watch and laid Layla down in her bassinet to sleep. But she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something that Ed wasn't telling her. She had never seen him leave in such a hurry or be so evasive with his answers to his questions.

"Mama where did Ed go?" Noah had wandered into the kitchen where Olivia was aimlessly looking for something to make for dinner.

"He had to go to work, baby." Liv explained. "But he should be back soon."

Noah thought for a moment and then moved on to a new subject. "I'm hungry. Can I have a snack mama?"

"Sure sweet boy. How about a banana and some fishies?" At that moment, those were some of the few things in the kitchen that would suffice as a snack for her son.

Minutes later, as Liv settled Noah back down on the couch with his snack, there was a knock on the door. Olivia knew that it was Amanda. Even though she was feeling confident in being alone with both kids, she appreciated having some company.

However, as soon as Amanda came in, her own daughter in her arms, Liv could tell that something was wrong with the female detective.

"Thanks for coming, Amanda. I really appreciate it."

"Uh huh." Was all that the blonde could say as she set her daughter on the ground, giving her a few toys to keep her busy.

"Can I get you anything? I was just about to start some dinner." Olivia asked.

Amanda shook her head. "I'm fine."

"Okay, what's up? Ed left faster than I have ever seen and he wouldn't tell me what was wrong. Now you come in here and you can't even say more than two words to me."

"He didn't tell you?" Amanda's eyes widened.

Olivia simply looked confused. "What was he supposed to tell me? What am I missing?"

Amanda stopped, trying to collect herself. She had assumed that Olivia was trying to hide her own fear about what was happening by acting like nothing was bothering her, but she truly didn't know. And even though she had to tell her lieutenant, the last thing Amanda wanted to be was the one to deliver the news to her.

"Something happened."

"I go that much, Amanda." Liv tried not to be irritated.

"It was the hostage negotiation team that called Ed in. They knew he was who they needed after what happened at the townhouse." Amanda began.

"Hostage Negotiation?" Liv didn't like the sound of that.

"Someone is in the precinct, in the squad room."

Olivia felt her stomach drop to the floor. "Someone… someone is in our squad room?"

Amanda nodded.

"Please… please tell me no one is there." Olivia pleaded with her detective.

"Fin… Fin and Carisi are there." Amanda admitted.

 _ *** So much for their nice first day at home together as a family, but what can I say? Let me know what you all thought! (P.S. I updated my other story, Unexpected Encounter, as well yesterday) ***_


	11. Chapter 11

_*** Alright, let's put this cliffhanger to rest for all of you. ***_

"Captain Tucker."

Ed marched onto the scene, trying his best to be confident in why he was asked to come, but also feeling that maybe this one was a little too close to home. This was Olivia's team. He was working for them and for her.

"What's happening?" Ed asked the Hostage Negotiation team captain who had found him in the crowd of people.

He followed closer to the precinct entrance. "There's one man. He's armed and angry. We got the building cleared except for SVU."

"And do you know who's in there?" Tucker questioned.

"There a couple of beat cops. One of SVU's victim, that's who we think this man is here for. And two detectives, Tutuola and Carisi."

Even though Ed came in knowing that both men were in the precinct, he still didn't like the sound of their names on the list of people still inside. He would never forgive himself if something happened to either of them. Olivia would never forgive him.

"Where do you need me?" Tucker had to try and stay focused on his job, rather than what was at stake.

"We have him on and off the phone. He's been asking for someone who can get him the things he wants. It's very similar to the hostage situation at the townhouse last year. That's why we called you. And because you know the people in there."

Ed nodded, trying to push the images of Olivia after that incident out of his head. "Lead the way."

* * *

Her stomach was in literal knots and she paced the length of the apartment as she called Ed over and over again. But no matter how many times the phone rang, Olivia couldn't get through to him.

"Liv you have to give it a rest." Amanda was as sympathetic as anyone could be toward the torture of not knowing that her lieutenant was feeling.

Olivia listened to the blonde and set her phone down. "How did he expect us to just sit here and wait? This is my team, our team."

"He was just thinking about you, Liv." Amanda was just as upset that she wasn't there. "You just brought Layla home and even though you may not agree, you're still recovering from all that you went through."

"That doesn't give him the right to undermine me, to not tell me that my own people are in danger."

Amanda was at a loss for words, because her feelings reflected those of Olivia. Fin and Carisi were more than just coworkers, they were her family. They had been by her side through all that had happened since she transferred from Atlanta. To even think about something happening to either of them made her absolutely sick to her stomach.

Before Amanda could find a way to respond to Olivia, the sound of Layla's cries drifted from the bedroom.

Liv disappeared for a moment and returned with Layla in her arms, still crying. "It's okay my love. Amanda could you take her for a minute? I need to make her a bottle."

"Of course." Amanda took the baby.

Olivia dashed into the kitchen, working as quickly as she could.

"She looks just like you." Amanda commented as she bounced Layla in her arms doing her best to keep her calm.

Liv looked up. "That's what I've heard."

"How has Noah been with her?" The blonde tried to keep her talking.

"Amanda you don't have to try to have a conversation right now. I know you're just as worried as I am."

"I'm sorry." Amanda apologized.

Olivia let out a deep breath, realizing how she sounded. "Don't apologize. You didn't do anything. I'm just… I can't believe we are sitting here wondering what is happening. When did we become the two that just stand down and let the men handle everything?"

"When we both had children who needed us." Amanda knew how much they both loved their kids, but things had changed when they became mothers. And now Olivia had two little ones to think about.

"I love them so much, but I just wish it didn't mean being treated like we need to be protected." Liv came back out from the kitchen and took Layla back from her detective.

* * *

"The sniper has a visual on him. We can let him take the shot." The hostage negotiation captain told Ed.

"Yeah at what risk? Tutuola and Carisi are right there. He makes any movements and they get hit instead." Ed wasn't going to risk their lives. "Let me talk to him for a little while longer, see what I can do."

Tucker had already been talking to the man for two hours and he wasn't budging. It turns out that it was Allen Thomas. His wife was the victim and was also in the precinct. It was a domestic violence case that SVU had been handling for months now and the wife had finally come in today to say that she was willing to testify against him. That's what set Allen off, he knew that he didn't stand a chance in court once the jury saw the pictures of the shape that his wife was in.

"You have another fifteen minutes, if you can't get something out of him by then, we're taking what we can get."

Ed was feeling the pressure.

"Hey Allen, I'm back." Ed went back to his phone conversation.

 _"And do you have a way of getting me out of here? I told you I'm not taking the blame for this bullshit."_

"I am working very hard on that Allen. But I can't tell you for sure yet. My people want me to hurry this up."

 _"I don't care what they want. This isn't over until I am a free man."_

"Okay, that's what I've told them."

 _"Look you get this done or these detectives aren't getting out of here either. They're the reason my stupid wife came here in the first place. I go down, they all go down too."_

And the need to keep this going, to let this end the best way possibly grew with every response Ed was giving.

"This isn't about them, Allen." Ed told the man. "This is between us. You know that it will only get messier if you add them to this."

 _"I don't give a shit. I'm getting out and it doesn't make a damn difference if they do too."_

That was seemingly the end of it all. After those words came through the phone, two consecutive gun shots rang out from the building.

* * *

"Ed? Ed? Where are you?" Olivia answered on the first ring when she saw that her caller ID read Ed's name.

 _"Look, can you Amanda get to Mercy?"_

"Ed, what the hell happened?" She wasn't taking any other answer.

 _"Just get down her down here. Someone needs to get down here."_ Ed's voice became almost nonexistent as it sounded like he was swallowed into a loud crowd.

"Ed? Ed?!" But the line had gone dead.

Amanda had watched Olivia on the phone and she knew from the tone of her voice that whatever Ed Tucker had just told her was not what she wanted to hear.

"We have to get to Mercy hospital." Liv informed her.

Amanda let out the breath she had been holding. "Who is it?"

"He didn't get a chance to say." Olivia's voice had softened at the realization that Ed only told her what he did because it meant something for someone on the team.

"What are we supposed to do? We can't bring the kids there. It's going to be a mess."

"I'll… I'll call Lucy." Liv picked her phone back up and called the young woman.

It had been over an hour since Ed called when Olivia and Amanda finally walked, or more like ran, through the doors of the ER at Mercy hospital. And as Amanda had predicted it was an absolute mess. There were cops everywhere, sitting in the chairs of the waiting room, lining the hallways that could be seen. But they could only search for Ed in the crowd.

"What are you doing here?" Ed found them before they could find him and his question was obviously directed toward Liv.

"This is my team." She told her boyfriend.

"Who is with the kids?" Ed knew that Olivia wasn't happy with him.

"No, you're going to tell me what happened. You don't get to avoid this." She demanded.

"This isn't the place to do this." Ed began to walk away and Olivia followed him closely.

When they came to an empty place in the hallway, Liv started in again before Ed could say anything. "You are going to tell me right now what happened and why you decided that it was a good idea to not tell me that my team was in danger."

"Because I didn't want this to happen." Ed explained.

"You didn't want me to be here or you didn't want me to be upset? Because if that's what you were trying to avoid, you only made it worse. This is my team, not yours and you knew when you left that this was about my team."

"Liv you didn't need this right now. As much as you think you are, you really aren't ready to be back to work yet and Layla just came home today. I don't want to take anything from you or make you feel like you are less than this team's commanding officer, but I was just trying to save you from the stress of this all." Ed had truly been thinking of her when he made his decision.

Olivia knew that he was being honest in his answer. "Ed you didn't have to save me from this. I know I'm not ready to be back, even if I so badly want to be. But these are my people. I'm not just their commanding officer and they aren't just my detectives. These men are family, Ed. And all I wanted was to be treated like they were that important to me."

"I'm sorry, Liv." Ed reached for her hands and took them in his own. "I'm really sorry."

Liv took a deep breath. "Who was it?"

"It was Carisi." Ed finally admitted.

"How… how bad is it?" Olivia was almost afraid to ask.

"He took one to the chest. The doctors said that they don't think it's anything too serious. He was conscious for some of the ambulance ride, they said that was a good sign. But he's still in surgery."

"This is crazy." Liv sighed. "Who did this?"

"Allen Thomas. He was in there because of his wife. They said they were a part of one of your cases."

When Ed said his name, there was an obvious sense of recognition that flashed across Olivia's face. "I wish it hadn't come to this, but I'm not surprised."

"He was a bad one wasn't he?"

"Horrible. We could never do anything about it because his wife wouldn't testify against him. It was their neighbor that reported him first or we may have never found them. I mean he nearly beat her to death that first time and every time after. But she still just wasn't ready. We couldn't push her any more than we did."

"I'm sure you all did everything you could. It's just too bad that this is how it ended." Ed was well aware of the horrific outcomes of domestic violence.

The presence of another person in the hallway halted their conversation. And when they turned to see who it was, Olivia felt a small weight lift from her when it was Fin.

"Sorry to interrupt." He told them.

"You should be apologizing for scaring the shit of me, Fin." Liv gave him a soft smile to show him that even if she was upset, she was happy to see him unharmed.

"I know, I know. You can get at me later. Carisi's doctor just came back and said that he was in recovery if we wanted to go see him." Fin explained.

"So he's okay?" Ed asked.

Fin nodded. "He'll be just fine. The doctor said the bullet was a through and through, no long term damage."

"Thank goodness." Liv let out a breath of sheer relief.

Ed and Olivia followed Fin towards the recovery rooms where Carisi was.

"You never answered me. Who is with the kids if you and Amanda are here?" Even with all that happened, Ed still couldn't stop worrying about his children.

"Lucy is there with them. But as soon as I see Carisi, I'm going to head back to be with them. I don't want to miss all of Layla's first day home." Olivia was missing her babies already.

Ed understood. "Well I'll be coming with you because I need to see those faces after this afternoon."

 _ *** Keep letting me know what you think about this story! ***_


	12. Chapter 12

_*** Lucky chapter 12! ***_

As soon as he could hear the baby's cries from the end of the bed where she had previously been sleeping in her bassinet, Ed shot up from his deep sleep. He jumped up to pick her up, watching Olivia as he did so, making sure that she hadn't woken up.

"Okay, Layla girl. Now let's not wake up mama." Ed whispered to his daughter as he left the bedroom, quietly closing the door behind him.

Two weeks with the infant at home and Ed and Liv were realizing just how little sleep they could live off of. They were working on getting a routine down, but with a three-year-old that was also adjusting to not being an only child it was proving to be difficult. However, neither of them would trade having their baby girl at home.

"Alright, are you hungry?" Ed bounced Layla in his arms as he began making her a bottle.

Even though it was six am, Ed loved any time that he could get alone with Layla. He wouldn't be the first one to admit it out loud, but his daughter had him wrapped around her little finger; he would do anything for her. And it almost scared him how much he cared about the kids. He never dreamed that he would have two children at his age, but they were more important than anything or anyone ever had been to him.

For nearly two hours it was just Ed and Layla awake in the house. Noah slept longer than normal and he had expected Olivia to sleep for a while as long as nothing woke her up.

"How long have you two been up?" Liv walked out of their bedroom, headed toward the living room where Ed sat with Layla. She sleepily rubbed her eyes, feeling more rested than she had in days.

"Well, hello sleepy head." Ed smirked at his pajama clad girlfriend.

Olivia playfully rolled her eyes in response. "You were the one who let me sleep, so you can only blame yourself."

"We've been up for a couple of hours now, but I wanted to let you get some rest. I know she was up a lot last night."

As if she knew she was being talked about by her dad, Layla let out a loud cry from her swing, letting them know that she wanted their attention. Olivia answered her call and picked her up.

Liv sat down next to Ed on the couch. "I really appreciate it. This little girl is really doing her best to test us."

The moment Olivia found out that she was pregnant, she knew that their lives were going to change forever.

 _Her hands were shaking, as was the rest of her body. It took an hour before she could even turn on the car and another before she finally found the courage to drive out of the doctor's office parking lot. Olivia was questioning everything that she had come to know with Noah and Ed._

 _"Liv?" Ed noticed the tear stains on her cheeks and the makeup that had run down her face the moment that she walked through the apartment door._

 _The sound of him saying her name, only made her begin to cry again._

 _"Liv what happened?"_

 _"I'm… I'm sorry." She was trying to talk between doing her best to hold back her tears._

 _Ed was so confused. He didn't remember anything that had happened that she would be apologizing for, yet here she was with nothing else to say and sobbing in the middle of their living room._

 _"Okay, Liv you have to try and calm down. I don't know what you're sorry for."_

 _"You didn't… this isn't…" Olivia finally gave up, losing her strength, and sank into the couch._

 _Ed came around and sat down with her. He rested a hand on her knee as she did her best to catch her breath and wipe away the tears._

 _"You don't have to stay." Was the first full sentence that Olivia found the courage to muster up._

 _"I'm staying. Liv, I don't know what this is about, but you have to know that no matter what, I am staying."_

 _"You can say that now, but I won't blame you if this changes your mind." Liv was being as empathetic as she could._

 _Ed was beginning to lose patience. "Liv, you have to tell me what is going on."_

 _"Ed, I'm pregnant." She spat it out at him._

 _And those words completely changed the expression in his face from worried to petrified. Nothing could have prepared him for what she just told him._

 _"Liv…"_

 _"I told you that you don't have to stay. I won't hold it against you Ed. This changes everything and I would understand if you weren't willing to take this on." Olivia couldn't force Ed into anything._

 _"I don't care what this changes. I'm not leaving you now, Liv and I don't plan on leaving later either."_

From that day, Olivia could only think about what would change and what was going to happen to her relationship with Noah and with Ed. But now that she sat with Ed and with her daughter, waiting for her little boy to wake up and join them, she realized that all of the worries she had were frivolous. In the moment, they all seemed to be predictions of what their transition into a family of four would look like, but when it all came down to it, nothing she feared had come true now that they were at home together.

"Mama!" Noah suddenly came around the corner of the couch, energy-filled and ready to start his day.

"Come here sweet boy." Liv patted the open spot on the couch next to her. "Did you sleep well?"

Noah snuggled into the spot between his mom and Ed. "Uh huh! Can we have cakes for breakfast?"

"Oh I think that we can make that happen." Ed told the little boy. "Does that sound good to you, Liv?"

"Pancakes work for me, but don't take too long. You have to go pick your mom up at the airport at ten thirty." Olivia reminded him.

This was the first time that Ed's mother was going to meet the kids. Olivia had met her once before, but it was short and Noah had been at school. So now with things somewhat settling down, Ed had invited her to come stay in New York for a few days so that she could meet Noah and her granddaughter and spend time with her son, who she usually saw twice a year or so at most.

"We'll be quick, won't we Noah?" Ed picked Noah up off the couch and waltzed into the kitchen to start their breakfast.

"Ed, are you sure that I'm not intruding? You all have been through a lot." His mom followed him down the hallway of their apartment building.

"Mom you are fine. We are happy to have you." Ed assured her.

They reached the apartment and Ed opened the door, holding it for his mom. She walked in first and he followed with her bags.

"Ellen. Hi. How was your flight?" Liv was in the living room, ready to greet the older woman.

"It wasn't too bad." She gave Olivia a rather awkward hug. "How are all of you? This apartment is great."

Liv smiled graciously, looking to Ed. "Thank you. We're good."

"Where are the kids?" Ed asked.

"Noah is in his room playing, I'll get him in a second. But Layla just couldn't help but fall asleep after I fed her, so she's asleep in her bassinet in the bedroom."

Olivia left the room for a quick minute and returned with Noah following behind her. He held onto his mom's legs, trying not to be seen by their new guest. He was as outgoing as any three-year-old when he was comfortable with someone, but around new people Noah was a bit shy.

Ed leaned down to be at Noah's level. "Can you say hi, buddy?"

Noah nodded his head, but put his hands out to Ed, showing that he wanted to be picked up.

Ed obliged. "There we go. This is my mom, Noah."

Ellen looked at Noah and then looked at Olivia. "Aren't you just adorable." She gushed. "Olivia are you sure that he isn't yours? He looks so much like you?"

"I'm sure. But I have heard that before." Liv knew that the woman meant well.

For a while, Ed, Ellen, Olivia, and Noah sat in the living room. Ed caught up with his mom, as she did her best to keep Liv in the conversation so that she could try to get to know her better, too. Noah began to warm up to Ellen as well, showing her his toys that he was playing with and talking to her about his week at preschool. Ellen was smitten with the little boy, but even more smitten by how her son interacted with him. She had tried her best to be supportive of Ed's relationship with Olivia, but she hadn't been sure at first. Now that she could see them together, she was beginning to see why they were together.

When some small noise came through the baby monitor, Ed got up first to retrieve Layla from their bedroom.

"Alright, Layla girl. How about we change you and then we can go meet your grandma?" Ed swooped her up into his arms.

"There's that sweet baby." Ellen commented when Ed came back out.

Olivia watched as Ed handed the baby to his mom. The woman accepted her granddaughter graciously, a few happy tears pricking at her eyes. Ellen cooed at Layla and Liv couldn't help but feel the same happiness, but also a little sadness. Serena Benson would never meet her grandchildren; Noah and Layla would never get to know her. Olivia had struggled with her mother for her whole life, but she knew that if Serena had been there now, she would have adored her daughter's babies.

"Okay, Olivia, this little girl is your spitting image." Ellen spoke to Liv, but couldn't take her eyes off of the baby.

Their day continued into the evening. They picked up Chinese take-out for dinner and Ellen helped Ed with Noah's bath time routine. Liv cleaned up from their dinner, fed Layla one last time before she laid her down for the night, and joined in for Noah's bed time story to tell him goodnight. When it was all done, Ellen, Ed, and Liv found themselves back in the living room.

"Noah is just the sweetest little boy, Olivia." Ellen said, as she sipped at her cup of decaf coffee.

"Thank you. I'm so glad he warmed up to you so quickly, sometimes he can be so shy." Liv explained. "But he really loved having a new person to talk to and play with."

"And once you get him talking, you just can't stop him." Ed chuckled.

The conversation was interrupted by the small cries of little Layla. Ed got up from the couch and went to sooth the baby.

"She shouldn't be hungry, Ed. She probably just needs her diaper changed." Olivia called after him.

For a moment the living room was silent. Olivia and Ellen sat in each other's company, it wasn't awkward, but Liv felt like she needed to say something, to keep the conversation running.

"Thank you." Ellen suddenly broke the silence.

Liv looked up at her. "For… for what?"

"For giving Ed all of this, for putting up with him. I know that he isn't the easiest of people to live with, but you two seem made for each other and he needed all of this. He needed you. And he needed those babies." Ellen needed Olivia to know that she was grateful.

"We're just happy to have him here. I don't know how I would have done most of this without him; he does so much for us, more than I could have imagined." Liv wanted Ellen to know that she didn't have to worry about her son or what his life was like.

"That's probably because his dad wasn't there." Ellen confessed.

Olivia didn't know much about Ed's dad. "He's never said much about his father."

"His dad left when he was only five and I don't really know what he remembers about him, but I know that he always held a grudge against his father because he wasn't there for either of us. And even though he would never admit it, Ed always thought that he had to fill the role as man of the house for me. And then his first wife left too. He's just so used to people leaving and he's never been good at opening up to anyone or trusting anyone. But now he has you and Noah and Layla and this is the first time that I can remember him being truly happy and comfortable. That's all I've ever wanted for him."

Liv could see how much Ellen cared for his son. "That's all I want for him too."

Ed carefully shut the door of the bedroom behind him. "You were right, she just needed her diaper changed and then to be rocked back to sleep."

He sat down again, Olivia scooting closer to him. She laid her head on his shoulder. Ellen watched the two and Liv gave her a small smile.

 _ *** Look at all that fluff! People wanted more between the family, so I thought I would give y'all what you wanted and I love to write it. Leave me all your thoughts, comments, suggestions, ect.! ***_


	13. Chapter 13

_*** Thanks for the continuing love for this story. I didn't ever think that I would write more than a few chapters, but now I can't stop and hope you all will keep reading. So here is another chapter for all of you! ***_

"Noah, baby, you have to eat your breakfast before you can go to school. You know that." Liv was watching her son push around his oatmeal, instead of actually eating it.

"But I wanted cakes mama!" Noah cried.

Olivia rubbed her face with her hand. It had been a rather long night of getting up with Layla, not as long as they had been, but she was still feeling like she needed just a few more hours of sleep to be ready to deal with her son's tantrums. Noah had his moments; they weren't often, but when they did happen Liv had to have the energy to fight the three-year old's battles.

"Pancakes are for the weekends Noah. You always eat your oatmeal before school." The mom didn't want to have to argue with her son, but he wasn't budging on eating his breakfast.

Ed walked into the kitchen, with Layla in his arms. "Noah, you have to eat your food now or it'll be too late for me to take you to school and you'll have to walk all by yourself.

"I can't walk by myself." Noah quickly started to scoop the oatmeal into his mouth, worried that if he didn't he would have to walk the five miles to school all by himself.

"That was a good one, but I think you might have really scared him." Liv chuckled as her son hurriedly ate.

"We'll work on dealing with the aftermath later, for now we just need to get him to preschool." Ed walked over to Liv and traded her the baby for the coffee mug that she was holding out for him. He then helped Noah down from his chair and lead him into the bathroom to brush his teeth.

They returned a few minutes later, both of them wearing their coats and Noah had his superman backpack on.

"Have a good day at school, Noah." Liv gave her son a hug. "Mama will be there to pick you up when you're done."

"Do you still have to go into the office today too?" Ed asked her as he gave her a quick goodbye kiss.

She nodded. "Hopefully it will be quick. I'm just going to pick up the paperwork I need and bring it back here."

"Okay, then I'll see you tonight." He scooped Noah up, causing the little boy to giggle, and headed out the front door.

Olivia took her time getting ready. Mostly because she wasn't in any rush to get to the precinct, but also because Layla needed to be fed and changed a few times and at one point just wanted to be held by her mama. Liv had yet to go out by herself with her daughter. She had gone to doctor's appointments and been to dinner at Amanda's with Layla, but Ed had been there for all of it to help her and even if she knew that she was more than capable of taking care of the baby, Olivia found herself a little nervous. At least it was just a trip to the one-six which was easily considered her second home.

"Lieu what are you doing here?" Carisi looked up from the screen of his laptop as she came walking into the squad room, pushing Layla in her stroller.

"It's nice to see you too, Carisi." Olivia smirked at her youngest detective.

"He didn't mean that." Amanda tried to save him. "We're all happy to see you."

"Where's Fin?" Liv asked.

"Right behind you." Fin came around and stopped next to her.

Olivia gave him a small smile. "So I hear that you might be our newest sergeant."

"I mean if I have to be." Fin rolled his eyes, but his lieutenant could see that he was proud of what he accomplished.

"Are you here just to see our smiling faces or can we do something for you Liv?" Carisi had gotten up from his desk.

Liv walked further in, toward her office. "I just have some paper work that I need to finish for Chief Dodds on some old cases, not that I don't love to see you all too."

While Olivia searched her desk for all of the paperwork that she needed, the team watched Layla passing her back and forth, enjoying the time off they were getting from having to look at cases of assault and murder all day. And Liv truly loved that her team cared so much about her kids. Without them, her and Ed would not have gotten through their days in the hospital or at the NICU.

"Liv, there is no way that she could look any more like you. Poor Tucker didn't stand a chance having a little one that looked like him." Amanda told the mom as she came back out of her office.

"Ed should be so lucky they look like me." Olivia laughed.

Carisi was holding Layla when she started to cry, just the smallest sounds of discomfort. "What's wrong?" Sonny cooed.

"She's probably hungry." Olivia went to the stroller and pulled out a pre-made bottle. She ran into the break room and heated it up just enough to be tolerable for the baby. "I can take her Carisi."

"I got this." Sonny took the bottle and started to feed the infant.

"Maybe I should just take Carisi with me and he can be the one who gets up with her in the middle of the night." Liv suggested.

Carisi shook his head. "I do daytime only."

They all laughed at his response, but once Carisi finished feeding Layla, Olivia took her back and strapped her into her car seat to leave. She had to allow enough time to make it to Noah's preschool for pick up. Which she did and her son was beyond thrilled to see her instead of Lucy or Ed.

"Mama! I made a picture for Layla today. Can we put it in her room?" Noah asked his mom as they walked back to the parked car.

"Of course we can." Olivia assured her son.

They drove home to the sound of Noah babbling about his day at school. He gave his mom a play-by-play of almost every moment of his day and she couldn't have loved it more. She had missed getting to pick him up; it had been too long with everything that had happened.

"Go take your backpack and jacket off and I'll make you a snack, okay?" Olivia told her son, as she helped him to unzip his jacket when they came into the apartment.

"Can I have a cookie for snack?" The little boy asked his mom.

"Noah, you know that you can only have a cookie after dinner if you finish your food. How about an apple and some crackers?" Liv was not going to have a repeat of the morning's food drama.

Noah slumped in protest, but agreed. "Okay, mama."

Olivia moved to stand up from where she was kneeling down, but barely made it half way up before a shooting pain went searing through her abdomen. She grabbed her stomach, trying her best to breathe through whatever the pain was. But when she finally stood up, the pain had passed. Liv did her best to shake it off as she slowly walked into the kitchen to fix Noah's snack; she had a very similar discomfort before during her recovery, but had it been a few weeks since it had happened.

"Mama can I have my snack now?" Noah had returned from his bedroom.

Olivia snapped back into reality. "Yes you can. Go sit at your seat at the table and I'll bring it to you."

Liv gave Noah his snack and moved her attention to Layla. She was unbuckling her from her car seat, when the same pain she had felt a few minutes earlier returned. This time it lasted longer and she couldn't do anything more than stay hunched over. When it subsided, she finished getting Layla and took her back to the bedroom, but Olivia couldn't shake that something was wrong.

"Can we hang my picture now?" Noah looked to his mom who had joined him at the kitchen table.

She nodded her head. "Sure, sweet boy."

They went into Layla's bedroom. It was all done, painted, the furniture in its place, but the baby wasn't quite ready to be in her own room instead of her parents' room yet.

"I want it right there." Noah pointed to right above the crib.

Olivia obliged and taped the hand-painted picture right above her daughter's bed. "What is your picture supposed to be, Noah?"

"It's me and Layla at the park because when she gets big, I'm gonna show her how to swing and to slide." Noah beamed just talking about what he was going to do with his little sister.

"That's great, baby." Liv ruffled his hair, as she led him out of the baby's room and back to the living room.

But before they could get even half way down the hallway, Olivia doubled over in pain, gripping the wall and her stomach. Noah continued down the hallway and disappeared around the corner, without even noticing that his mom had stopped. This time though, when the pain subsided, it didn't go away completely, it only dulled.

When she felt like she could move, Liv walked into the living room searching for her phone. She found it at the bottom of the diaper bag and immediately called Ed.

 _"Hey Liv. I should be home by five tonight, so maybe we can do dinner?"_

"Can you get home any earlier than that?" Liv tried to keep her voice steady as her discomfort grew.

Ed could tell that something was wrong with his girlfriend. _"Liv is something wrong? Did something happen to Layla?"_

"It's not Layla, it's me." Liv admitted.

 _"What is it? Are you okay?"_

"I don't… I don't know. But I think something is really wrong."

 _"Okay, I'm leaving now. I will be there in twenty minutes. Just hang tight."_ Ed hung up, as gathered his stuff to leave the office.

Olivia tried her best to stay calm, but the pain was only worsening. She was sitting on the couch watching Noah play, while doing her best to hide how she was feeling from her son. She didn't need him scared for her, too.

"Mama, what's that?"

Olivia had been zoning out when her son's voice brought her back to reality and what he was pointing at made her shake with fear. There was a stain of bright red blood on the couch where she was sitting.

Her heart was beating faster than it ever had and her body shook so hard she could barely push herself off of the couch. Her mind kept flashing back to the night that she woke up at three am to find the same blood stain in her bed; when she had woken up wondering what was going to happen to her and her daughter. The only thing better now was that Olivia's daughter would be fine, no matter what happened to her.

Liv could feel just how unsteady her legs were underneath her, as she tried to make her way the few feet she needed to. She just needed to get to her phone. She could see it sitting on the kitchen counter.

But she couldn't do it. She tried her best to move her feet, to even just shuffle them across the floor to get to her lifeline. Her body was giving up. The feeling of cold blood was running down her legs and her body felt like it weighed a thousand pounds.

"What's wrong, mama?" Noah was standing behind her, tears in his eyes as he watched her.

"It's… it's nothing… noth…" Before she could even finish her sentence, the world around her blackened. Her body gave way and she fell to the floor. The last thing she saw before her eyes closed was Noah crying for her.

"Mama! Mama!" Noah screamed.

 _ *** Unlucky chapter 13. I feel like I may have been a little cruel to leave this with such an ending, but we got to keep it interesting, right? Let me know what you think! ***_


	14. Chapter 14

_*** Okay, I couldn't leave you all hanging for too long, but I really appreciate the reviews on the last chapter. I want to make sure that this story stays interesting and that all of you still want to read. But anyway, here is the next chapter for you since I'm sure there has been some serious waiting for what happened to Olivia. ***_

"Mama!" Noah could barely talk between the tears running down his face that was mixing with the snot coming from his nose.

The little boy was just watching his mother. He could do nothing but see her fall to the ground, her eyes closing on him. He didn't understand what was happening, he couldn't grasp that something was very seriously wrong. All he wanted was his mama. He wanted her to pick him up and rub his back and tell him that everything was going to be fine.

"Noah? Noah, sweetie?" The little boy turned around to see who was talking to him.

"My mama. Help my mama." He cried.

"Come here, Noah. I am going to help her okay. But where is your sister?"

"In mama's room." Noah pointed toward the hallway that led to the bedrooms.

"Alright. I'm going to go get her and you guys can come over to my house, alright?"

"But mama. What about mama?" Noah could not have been anymore terrified.

"We're going to help her too, buddy. Don't worry."

* * *

"Liv? Liv?!" Ed pushed through the front door of the apartment, panicked and unsure of what he was walking into.

But what he found was an empty apartment. No Olivia and no kids. However, the blood stain on the couch was the first thing he noticed, followed by the one that was on the floor near the kitchen counter. He went rigid. His feet wouldn't move, his heart throbbed in his chest, his hands shook with fear.

"Ed?" The voice startled him.

He swung around to see their neighbor standing in the doorway. The young woman and her husband, Ethan, had moved in just a couple of weeks after Ed and Olivia. They were newlyweds, without any kids. They had been over for dinner and had even watched Noah a couple of times.

"Sarah. Did you… do you…"

"The ambulance left ten minutes ago." She told him.

Ed let out the breath he had been holding. "What happened?"

"I heard Noah crying and screaming for Olivia when I was walking in with my groceries. I used the key you gave us because I knew that something was going on. She was there, on the floor. I don't know anything else. The EMT's just asked me to get the kids out and I took them."

"I'll umm… I can take them… I can come get them." Ed tried.

"No. Ethan is there right now with them. I can get what we need for the baby, but we will keep them until someone else can come. You need to go be with Olivia." Sarah couldn't imagine what was running through the man's head. She felt the least she should do was take care of his kids while he was at Olivia's side.

"Thank you." Ed was more appreciative than she would ever know. "I will call someone as soon as I can to come get them."

"Take your time. Just go be with her." Sarah pushed him to leave.

"Really, thank you." Ed told his neighbor as he was already running out of the apartment.

His drive to the hospital was the most nerve-wracking moments he had ever had behind the wheel. His hands gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were white and he was going at least fifteen miles per hour above the speed limit. Ed could barely keep his eyes on the road, his focus was only on Liv and when he pulled into a parking spot at the hospital, he had almost no memory of how he had gotten there safely.

"I need you to tell me where Olivia Benson is. I need to know where she is." Ed demanded the information from the nurse at the desk in the ER.

After asking him to calm down and give her more information on who he was looking for, the nurse told him that she was in surgery. An answer he had been given before and that hadn't ended well. But all the nurse could do was direct him to a more private waiting room for him to sit in while he waited to hear more.

When he had calmed enough to talk, Ed called Amanda.

" _Tucker, what's up? Liv isn't here, if you're looking for her."_

"She's in the hospital again." Ed cut to the chase.

Amanda was silent for a moment. _"What happened?"_

"I don't… I really don't know yet. She called me and asked me to come home early, but our neighbor found her first."

" _Ed, I'm so sorry. What can I do?"_

"Our neighbor has the kids right now. I was just wondering if maybe you could…"

But Amanda cut him off before he could finish. _"You don't even need to ask, Ed. Carisi and I will go get them right now and I'll bring them over to my house."_

"Whatever you need, our neighbors have a key to our apartment and you can just go in and take it."

" _Don't worry about it, okay? We'll get what we needed and they'll be taken care of. You just be there for Liv. And let us know when you know more."_ Amanda was so sympathetic to what the man was handling.

"Thank you, Amanda." Ed couldn't imagine where he or the kids would be without Olivia's team.

For almost two hours, Ed paced the waiting room floor. His stomach was in knots. The last time he had been in this situation he had felt the same. This was the woman he loved and he felt absolutely helpless knowing that no matter what he did, there was nothing he could do for her. But he needed her. Their kids needed her even more. Ed kept thinking about all the things he had never told her, all the ways she made him feel, that she was the bravest woman he knew, and all the ways he needed her in his life.

"Ed?" A familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Dr. Anderson. Why are you… are you…"

The doctor nodded. "I'm on Olivia's case because she was my patient previously and because all of this was a complication from her delivery."

"It was?" Ed didn't quite understand.

"Yes it was." Dr. Anderson confirmed. "There was always a small chance that after the placental abruption, she could suffer from some sort of a re-bleed, which happened and we stopped it. But because of her age and how traumatic her delivery was, her body could only handle so much. So she started hemorrhaging again, that's what happened today. In order to stop it, we had to do a hysterectomy. It was the only way to stop the bleeding and keep her alive because she had lost so much blood by the time that she got here."

"But is she okay?" Ed knew the doctor was trying to let him in on what happened, but he only cared if Olivia was going to be around to watch her children grow up.

"She is. We've just moved her out of recovery and into her own room. She's completely stable."

"Can I see her then?" Ed needed to see her. To look into her chocolate brown eyes and know for himself that she was alright.

"Absolutely." Dr. Anderson led the way, up two floors and down a couple of hallways to where she was. "She's still pretty tired from the anesthetic, but she'll be happy to see you."

Ed pushed the door open to see Olivia looking at him. She looked tired, not nearly as weak and frail as she had been after Layla's delivery, but she wasn't quite the same Lieutenant Benson that he had come to love.

"I'm so happy to see those eyes." Ed leaned over her and gently kissed her forehead.

Liv looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "I am so sorry."

"What? No, no Liv. You have nothing to be sorry for. This happened to you. You didn't ask for this. I should be telling you that I'm sorry for what you had to go through again. You have nothing to be sorry for."

"I love you." She sincerely meant it.

"I love you more Olivia Margaret." Ed returned the affection. "And I know this must be hard for you. I mean I know we never talked about what are plans were or what we wanted to do, but…"

"Ed, it's okay." Liv assured him.

He watched her closely. "Are you sure?"

"I'm more than sure. I have the two most beautiful children at home right now. They are more than I ever could have asked for or even dreamed of. We were lucky to have Layla; it's not like we were going to have another child. I couldn't be happier with our family, for what we have been given. All I care about is that I get to be here to see my kids grow up and to raise them with you."

Ed ran his hand through her hair. "We are pretty damn lucky aren't we?"

"Beyond Lucky." Liv agreed.

"We should get married." Ed spit the words out before he could even realize what he was saying.

"What?" Liv couldn't hide her shock.

"I want to get married." Ed was more sure of what he was telling her now.

"Ed, are you serious?" Olivia still couldn't comprehend what her boyfriend was saying to her.

"This is the second time we've been here. And thank the good lord that nothing has happened, but what if something does? What if something happens to one of us and we don't have any legal rights to each other? I want to be the person that gets called for you and if I end up a vegetable, in a hospital bed, I want you to be the one who decides to pull the plugs. You, Olivia, not my mom, not anyone else. You're already the woman that I get to wake up to every morning and I get to watch you raise our children and be the best mother they could have possibly been given. I have never been happier with anyone in my life. I want to marry you, Liv. I have never wanted anything more."

"Are you really asking me to marry you right now, while I'm lying in this hospital bed?"

Ed couldn't help but laugh at her question. "Yes I am, Liv."

Olivia stared at the man in front of her. She would have never believed that her life would cross paths with Ed Tucker's the way that it did. But here she was, hours after almost losing her life, being given a proposal by him. They had a daughter together and he was the father that Noah deserved. Her life would never be what she had pictured for herself when she was younger; it turned out that it was better than she could have possibly imagined.

"Well if you are asking, then I am saying yes."

Ed beamed at his now fiancé. "If I had known all of this was going to happen, I would have had a ring or something."

"You'll have to get working on that one my friend." Liv laughed. She could care less if she had a ring on her finger, in that moment all that mattered was that Ed was the one by her side.

"That's okay. I'll take Noah with me and let him help me pick it out." Ed suggested.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "I can only imagine how well that is going to go."

"Hey! The kid has good taste. I mean just look at who his parents are." Ed smirked at Liv and she returned the same look.

 _ *** From worry to just pure fluff. I didn't predict that this how this chapter would end, but I actually kind of love it. Let me know what you thought, if you all feel like this was a good direction for the story. Thanks in advance! ***_


	15. Chapter 15

_*** Here's a little update for y'all!**_ *

"I don't know if I'm ready for this." Olivia stared at her reflection in the full length mirror that stood in the corner of their bedroom.

"Olivia Benson scared?" Ed lifted an eyebrow to her comment.

Liv turned and rolled her eyes at him, where he sat on their bed putting his shoes on. "That isn't what I meant. I really don't know that I'm ready to go back to work."

"Why are you questioning yourself now?" Ed asked her. "Last Friday when Dr. Anderson cleared you to go back to work you couldn't have been happier."

"Because I wasn't going to work on Friday. I'm going to work today. And that means that I have to leave Noah and I have leave Layla. It shouldn't be that hard, I worked for three years, leaving Noah everyday but now because there is both of them to think about, it feels like I'm neglecting them. That me going to work means that I'm not doing what I should as a mother. And then I look like I had Layla yesterday. I mean I'm twenty pound heavier than I should be, none of my clothes fit like they should. I'm a mess. I'm not ready to go back."

Ed stood up from the bed and walked over to her. He put his hands gently on her shoulders. "Dr. Anderson quite literally told you that you weighed the same Friday that you did during your very first appointment. You look great, Liv."

"The scale was probably broken." Olivia scoffed.

Now it was Ed's turn to roll his eyes at what his fiancé said. "And the kids don't think you're neglecting them. I don't think you are. No one thanks that you are. They couldn't have been given a better mother if they tried. You can do your job and be their mom, women do that, it's allowed."

"But what if I look back at this time and realize that I missed too much? That I spent too much time at the precinct and not enough time with my kids?"

"You're helping to provide for our family. You're showing our daughter that she can do everything she wants and not feel guilty. Someday Noah and Layla are going to look at you and thank you for all that you did for them." Ed was doing his best to assure her.

"I hope you're right." Olivia was staring down at her feet.

Ed took her chin in his hand and lifted her head so she was looking into his eyes. "You are a great mother and a great lieutenant. You can do both."

"I hope you're right." Liv repeated herself this time with a sheepish grin that didn't have him convinced she believed what he told her.

As she walked into the squad room an hour later, Olivia still wasn't sure that she was ready to start again. There had been plenty of tears from Noah when she left, as he had become accustomed to his mom being able to take him to preschool or at least a promise that she would be there to pick him up, but with neither probably being an option on her first day back, Noah was not happy.

"Lietenant!" Carisi noticed his commanding officer first as she walked into the bullpen

"Aren't you happy to be back with us?" Fin joked with her.

"Oh I don't know. I guess I'll put up with all of you." Liv smirked. She was feeling a little better knowing that she would at least be spending her days with her second family.

"We're happy to have you back, Liv." Amanda told her genuinely.

"That's a nice addition you got on that finger there, too." Fin was talking about her new engagement ring.

The team was the first to find out that Ed had asked her to marry him. She knew that the moment she walked back into the precinct with a ring on her finger they would know and so would everyone else, which would mean that eventually the word would get back to Dodds. So instead of having him find out from someone else, Liv told her team and then informed Chief Dodds, while Ed did the same with his team and superiors.

"Tucker did a good job." Amanda added.

"That he did." The lieutenant admired the shiny new ring on her left hand.

The day started slowly. Olivia sat in her office doing paperwork and routinely checking on the team who was also just playing catch up on some details from previous cases. But by mid-morning they had caught two cases. One more open and shut than the other and one leaving Olivia in interrogation with Fin for nearly four hours. And even though she was exhausted by the time that they finally got their suspect to break, she felt at home. She walked out of the interrogation room like she had never left the precinct in the first place. She easily synched with her team again and the day was exactly what she had been used to before she became a mom of two.

"It's good to have you back in there Liv." He wasn't one to express how he felt, but Olivia was family and he had missed her.

"It was good to be back in there." She admitted to him. "As much as I love those babies that are waiting for me at home, I missed catching the bad guys."

"It's hard to be away from something that you were meant to do." Fin gave her a pat on the shoulder and continued into the bull pen, while she returned to her office.

She shut her computer off for the day, collected all of her belongings, and walked out of her office. "The paperwork can wait until tomorrow guys."

"Amen to that." Rollins shut her laptop faster than Olivia could finish her sentence.

Both women walked toward the elevator the men following behind, discussing some kind of sports game that neither Amanda nor Liv cared to add their opinion to.

"How is Layla?" Amanda asked as they stepped into the elevator.

"She's good. I think we finally have some sort of schedule going now and she's finally sleeping longer than an hour at a time." Liv couldn't help but brag about her daughter's sleeping schedule now that it meant she was actually getting some kind of rest. "What about Jessie? Is she over that cold she had?"

"Her little cough won't go away, but she's feeling much better and seems to be back to her normal self. Today was the first day she had gone back to daycare, so we'll see how she is when I pick her up."

Although they had been at odds multiple times before, something had seemed to change since they both become mothers. They had each other to talk to about so many things that the rest of the team didn't understand. They felt comfortable with each other, that was what had changed most; even with their past, Amanda had grown to trust Olivia as someone who could answer the questions she had and support the choices she was making for her daughter. And Liv knew that when she needed to vent her frustrations or just simply get things off her chest, she could look to Amanda as the one person who would listen without fail or any judgement.

"Let me know what you're up to this weekend. Ed wants to take Noah to the children's museum. Maybe you and Jessie would like to come too?" Olivia asked her fellow single mom as they were walking their respectable cars.

"That sounds good." Amanda agreed. "It'll do Jess some good to get out of the house after being cooped up and I would also like to actually get out of the house like most normal people do on weekends."

"Get out like normal people on weekends? This SVU team? Never." Liv laughed, opening her car door and sliding into the passenger seat.

When she walked through the door of the apartment she was greeted by Noah at her feet and the sound of Layla crying for a bottle. The noise was like music to her ears after spending her first whole day away from her daughter. And as hard as it had always been to leave Noah, the excitement she got upon her return warmed her heart.

"How was your day sweet boy?" Liv kneeled down.

"I got a gold star on my chart because I helped to clean up after snack time. And then we played hide and seek and I got founded last cause my spot was so good." Noah raved about his day at preschool like it would never get any better.

"Oh that's really good, baby. I am so proud of you." Liv brought him in for a hug and Noah snuggled against her.

Ed had walked into the room holding Layla. "Look baby girl mama is home and now you can cry to her."

"Has she been fussy all day? Did Lucy say?" Liv took the baby from him.

"No she was a perfect angel all day until daddy came home and she knew that she could get away with all this whining."

Liv laughed at him. "She just knows that you will do whatever she wants."

"I know, I know." Ed smiled at his little girl.

The family ate their dinner together. Noah continued to tell them about his day, every single little detail that he could think of. Layla refused to leave her mama's arms and Liv certainly wasn't complaining, until her bath and then again when she fell asleep.

"Okay, now tell me about your first day back." Ed and Liv were sitting on the couch, aimlessly watching some movie on cable. Her head rested on his chest.

"It was good." Was all that she said.

"That's it? Just good?" Ed pushed her.

She sighed. "Okay, it was better than good. I didn't realize how much I missed being there. It felt normal to be back, to be in interrogation. Like nothing had even changed. But then I kept thinking about the kids and how different everything is here. I feel like the job should be different too, like it should mean less to me and the kids should mean more."

"You have to stop being so hard on yourself Liv. You being happy to be at work doesn't make you a bad mom." Ed could see that she was still battling the same demons from that morning.

"I know." But she didn't sound like she was convinced.

Ed shifted on the couch so that he could see Liv better. "I was going to wait and tell you this weekend, but…"

"What were you going to wait to tell me?" Olivia's head shot up from where it was laying on his chest.

"I got us our date at the terrace." Ed told her.

Liv literally let out a gasp. "You did not."

"I did. I promise." Ed chuckled at her reaction.

She shook her head in pure disbelief. "How?"

"They called me today. Someone decided to change their day and the person ahead of us on the waitlist had already decided to pick a different day. So it's ours."

The place Tucker was talking about was a beautiful rooftop terrace that overlooked the Upper West Side. Olivia had happened to come across it online when she was looking for a wedding venue. At first they had just said they were going to go to the courthouse and have a small party afterwards, but Ed was hesitant because he felt that Liv deserved a real wedding, with a ceremony and reception that included their friends and family. She fought him on the idea, until the afternoon that she came across this venue. But when they had gone to see it, the date they wanted to use it wasn't available, or at least it hadn't been.

"You didn't have to do all of this Ed. We could have gotten married somewhere else, we still could have gone to the courthouse." Liv tried.

"No we couldn't have." Ed told her. "This is where you wanted it to be and you deserve to get what you want. We're only getting married once, so that means that we are going to do this right."

"We're actually doing this aren't we?" Liv had to ask just to assure herself.

Ed almost couldn't believe it either, no matter how many times they talked about it. "It's crazy. It's less than five months away now."

"We're getting married in just months. Who would ever have thought?" Liv kissed her soon to be husband.

"Probably no one. But now look at us." Ed kissed his future wife back.

 _ *** Pretty fluffy, I know. But sometimes you need a break from all the drama and I wanted a little more on the Tuckson wedding. Leave me your thoughts pretty please! ***_


	16. Chapter 16

_*** Alright, here's an update for y'all! ***_

"We're going to see Jesse and Manda mama?" Noah held on tight to her to hand as Liv used her other to push Layla's stroller.

She nodded at her son's question. "Yes we are. We're going to get some lunch and then we'll go play at the park. Does that sound good?"

"Yeah! I want to show Jesse how to swing." Noah had spent a fair amount of time with the little girl and since Layla wasn't old enough to play with him, he had taken to helping Jesse.

"I'm sure that she will really like that." Olivia smiled at her son.

It was a beautiful New York day, not too warm, probably only sixty degrees, but the sun was shining and the people lining the streets seemed to be in better moods because of it. Ed had to work all day, so when Amanda texted Liv to see if she wanted to do something, she jumped at the opportunity to not have to spend such an ideal Saturday in the house and Noah needed to get out and work off all the energy that an almost four-year-old had. The little boy was thrilled when his mom told him they wouldn't be sitting at home all day.

"Liv!" Amanda waved to her lieutenant from where she stood outside of the place they had decided on for lunch.

"I hope you haven't been waiting too long. As soon as I got Layla dressed we had a little bit of a mishap and I had to give her a quick bath." Olivia explained, almost laughing at herself as she said it. A few years earlier, she never would have thought that she would be meeting another mom on a Saturday for lunch and a playdate and explaining what baby incident had happened that caused her to be late.

"Oh no, don't worry about it." Amanda assured her. She herself knew how unpredictable babies could be. "We've only been here for maybe ten minutes. I assumed we would be the ones to be late because someone didn't want to have to ride in her stroller." The blonde looked down at her daughter, who was smiling like she knew she was being talked about.

Liv laughed at the one-year-old. "I know about that one too."

The women made their way into the restaurant. The hostess took them to a table near the back where there was enough room to accommodate both strollers and the high chairs and booster seats needed. They enjoyed their food, taking their time, mostly because with three kids to feed there was no room for speed. Jesse was trying to play with Noah the whole time that she ate, while Noah tried his best to keep her entertained between bites of his mac and cheese, and Layla sat on both her mom's and Amanda's laps giggling at her older brother and Jesse.

They walked out of the restaurant nearly two hours after arriving. "I always forgot how long it takes to eat a meal with kids." Liv chuckled.

"At least they were well behaved." Amanda pointed out. "Those couple of hours would have been hell if these guys weren't so easy to keep happy."

The walk to the park, which should have only taken fifteen minutes, seemed to take just as long as it did for them to eat. But it didn't seem that either mother cared how long it took. The kids were having a great time together and the day was too nice not to take it in.

Rollins took the first shift of watching Noah and Jesse play when they finally got to the park. She let them run as freely as they could while also not letting them get out of her sight. Liv traded her off after forty-five minutes. Amanda stayed with Layla, while also keeping an eye on the kids and Olivia. She couldn't help but smile as her lieutenant lifted Jesse in the air and spun her around. She could hear her daughter's giggles from where she sat.

"I don't know how he always keeps going." Olivia watched her son. She was sitting on the cement curb that encompassed the playground area next to Amanda.

"If only we had half of that energy." Amanda agreed.

Layla had been asleep for half an hour and Jesse hadn't been far behind her. Still being only a year old, Jesse required an afternoon nap. Noah, however, had given up his nap times a while ago, so Olivia was letting him run wild until he was completely tuckered out.

"So how's the wedding coming along?" Amanda asked the older woman.

Liv sighed, alerting the blonde. "It's… it's coming."

"You don't sound too thrilled about it."

"I am." But Olivia's answer wasn't convincing.

"Okay, good try Liv. What's up?"

Olivia bit her bottom lip, trying to find the response. "I don't know. I just… I don't know. Up until a few weeks ago, I was excited. And then I think it finally dawned on me that we were actually doing this. Which sounds so stupid…"

"It doesn't sound stupid, because I know what you mean." Amanda told her.

"I love him. I know that is the first thing that would cross anybody's mind if they heard me say any of this. That isn't the problem."

Amanda pushed her. "Then what is the problem?"

"It's just an adjustment." She admitted. "Even though we already live together, we have a child together, and Noah thinks of him as his dad. There is just something about wearing a ring on my finger and knowing that we are legally bound to each other. And I wouldn't choose anyone else, I never did for a reason. But I just can't shake this feeling that it will change everything."

"You know that you're allowed to have cold feet right? It's perfectly normal. But I don't think this is going to change you guys. As far as everyone who knows is concerned, you guys are basically married. You have been since you told us all about Layla."

Liv rubbed her hands over face. "I know it won't. That's the thing. When I stop and think about it, I know that what we are now is what we will be. But I get myself in this headspace and I can only think irrationally."

"You have to be easier on yourself. You're making the right decision. Anyone can see how much you two love each other."

Olivia started to thank the young detective when she noticed Noah in front of her.

"Ma.. ma…" But he could even finish saying her name. His breaths were shallow and it looked like his little chest was working overtime.

"Oh baby." Liv ran to his side. "Try to take a deep breath." Liv whipped around to look at Amanda who was clearly alarmed. "His inhaler is in one of the pockets of the diaper bag."

Amanda went back to the stroller and rummaged through the bag until she found the red plastic inhaler. "Here you go."

"Okay, baby, just take a deep breath." Olivia placed the end of the inhaler in his mouth, pressing down to give him the medication. "One more time."

This wasn't the first time that Noah had an asthma attack and it wouldn't be the last, but each time they scared the mother. Eventually Noah would be able to control them better himself and use his inhaler on his own, but for now Liv had to help him through them as best she could.

Noah's breathing started to become more normal. His breaths were still shallow, but he seemed to be slowly calming down. And his arms immediately found their way around his mama's neck, holding on tight. Liv stood up carefully, picking her son up with her.

"Does that happen often?" Amanda still appeared worried about the little boy.

Liv shook her head. "Not that often." She was being honest; her son would have minor asthma attacks only every once in a while.

"I don't know how you handle that. I would be scared to death." Amanda looked at Jesse who was still sleeping, thinking about what she would do if her daughter had Noah's problem.

"Just because I can handle it doesn't mean that I don't have a panic attack every time that it happens."

With Noah's asthma attack putting an end to the fun they were having, the moms decided that it was probably time to call it a day. Two of the three kids were sleeping and even though Noah wouldn't nap, he needed some time to rest.

"I'll see you on Monday." Amanda said as they reached the point where they would part ways.

"I have a meeting with Dodds on Monday morning." Liv rolled her eyes slightly at the thought, knowing that things were still rocky between her and the man. "So I won't be in right away, but I'm sure you and Carisi can handle Fin being in charge."

"Well I guess we will have to." The blonde smirked.

"Have a good rest of your weekend." Liv turned to go.

"Hey Liv." The lieutenant turned around at the sound of Amanda saying her name. "Nothing is going to change. You guys were meant to be together, remember that."

Olivia gave her a small smile and turned back around, letting what she had just been told roll her around in her head as she walked back to the apartment. Sometimes it was nice to have someone other than Ed to talk to and Amanda seemed to understand.

When they got back to the apartment, Layla was awake, but Noah seemed tired after the long day he had. Olivia sat him down with a snack and put on a movie for him to watch. The mom then put Layla in her bouncy chair to keep her occupied while she started dinner. Even though she wasn't the best cook, she enjoyed making meals for her whole family, it brought some normalcy to their usually hectic schedules.

"It smells good in here." With the movie playing and being busy prepping dinner, Liv hadn't heard Ed come in.

"Well I hope that it's good. I'm trying some new recipe from the cookbook your mom got us. So no guarantees that it will be edible." Olivia chuckled.

Ed came into the kitchen, placing a kiss on her lips. "I'm sure that it will be great."

"That's a lot of confidence for someone who knows my track record." Liv smiled at her fiancé.

He stood in the entryway to the kitchen and Liv couldn't turn away from him. She was thinking about what she had just told Amanda. And she wasn't going to pretend that what she had admitted to her detective had solved itself, but when she was with him, she knew that Ed was it. That their life would always be their life, married or not.

"Do you have something to say or are you just going to stare?" Ed brought Liv back from her thoughts.

"This is going to be good." Olivia told him.

Ed looked at her, completely confused. "Your food is going to be good?"

"No, us." Liv explained. "I was worried that getting married would change us somehow."

"How long have you felt like that? Why didn't you mention it before?" Ed moved into the kitchen, closer to Liv.

"I didn't want you thinking that I was rethinking this or us because I'm not. I want to marry you."

Ed scooted close enough to put his hands around her waist. "Well I hope you do. But you could have told me before now. Nothing is going to happen when we get married. It'll just mean that its legal. We will still be the same family that we are now."

"I know that now." Olivia assured him, as a certain little girl screamed from her jumper. "I also know that your daughter would probably be really happy if her daddy went and got her."

Ed let go of his fiancé to take care of the other woman in his life. "Layla girl, what is wrong?"

But as soon as she was in Ed's arms, Layla stopped her whining and a smile covered her face. The dad swore that every time his daughter laughed she turned into her mother's twin, not that she wasn't already, but it was even more evident when she smiled.

"See, I told you that she would be happy to see you." Liv smirked at the pair.

"She loves her daddy, what am I supposed to do about it?" Ed laughed.

 _ *** So pretty fluffy again; no guarantees that it will stay that way. But I wanted to give Olivia a little case of cold feet because I feel that her character would have a few reservations and I might still explore that a little more. Anyway, let me know what you thought! ***_


	17. Chapter 17

_*** Finally an update! I've been a bit distracted from this story lately and I also wanted to make sure that I was really happy with this chapter (as it was so important to the story) before I posted it. But it is finally here. I hope you all like it! ***_

Her index finger traced the delicate white fabric's lace embroidery, as if she was trying to memorize every single little detail of the dress. It's not as if she would get the chance to wear it more than once and she didn't want to forget for a second what she felt like on one of the most important days of her life.

"That's a pretty dress mama." Noah's little voice behind her startled the mom.

She turned to see her son staring up at her, his brown eyes filled with wonder. "Thank you baby."

"Sorry about that Liv." Amanda came into the room behind Noah. "He insisted on seeing you."

"That's okay." Olivia kneeled down, so that she was eye level with her son. "Are you already to carry the rings, sweet boy?"

Noah had been talking about his job as ring bearer for as long as he had known about it. Ed had sat the little boy down and explained exactly what he was going to be doing during their wedding ceremony and from that moment, Noah felt like he was the most important part of their special day. The moment he saw anyone he would tell them exactly what his duties were.

"Yeah! I have the rings outside and I'm going to walk up to you guys and then you'll take them for your fingers. And everyone will watch."

"Wow, it sounds like you have the best job here." Liv ruffled his hair. "Now why don't you go back with Amanda and Sonny, so mama can get finish getting ready?"

Noah gave it some thought. "Okay. But hurry mama."

Olivia stood up, chuckling at her son. He walked back to the blonde detective.

"Who has Layla and Jesse?" Liv asked her.

"Carisi and Fin. He'll never admit it to you, but those little girls have Odafin Tutuola wrapped around their fingers." Amanda loved how the baby girls brought out the tough cop's soft side.

"I hope they're behaving for them." Olivia' mind had been on the kids all day.

"Liv, stop worrying. They're in good hands. You have two of the most well behaved kids anyone has ever met. This is one of the few days you get to have be all about you. Let it be about you. You deserve it."

Olivia tugged on her dress, embarrassed that the young woman had to tell her something she should have known herself.

"It's your day." Amanda sensed her embarrassment. "Enjoy it."

"Thank you, Amanda." Olivia told her sincerely; she knew that the woman meant was she was saying.

"Now stop playing with that dress, you look stunning. Tucker isn't going to know what hit him."

Amanda said those last words and left Olivia alone again. She went back to staring at her reflection in the mirror. She adjusted the straps on her dress and ran her hands across the bodice, smoothing any wrinkles that weren't actually there.

A small knock on the door interrupted the bride again as she put on her earrings. But it was a welcome interruption when the man came through the door.

"Are you ready?" Former Captain, Donald Cragen watched her put the back on her earring, trying to keep his jaw from dropping when he saw the woman in her dress.

From the moment that Ed had asked her to marry him, Olivia knew that she needed one person in particular there with her. They had been in contact since he had left, there was no way that either one could just disappear from each other's lives. But they hadn't spent much time together as Liv was busy running the squad and having a family and Cragen had been with Ilene in Florida for much of his retirement. However, if anyone was meant to walk Olivia down the aisle is was Don.

"Can you believe that we are here doing this?" Liv gave him a sheepish smile.

"No, but also yes." Cragen reached for her hands. "I'm happy to see you so happy. You were meant to be a mother and even though Ed Tucker wasn't who I was expecting you to marry, what matters is that he treats you well and he is a good father to those babies."

"He is." Liv assured him.

"Then I can believe it because this is what you always deserved." Don Cragen was grinning from ear-to-ear.

Liv looked into his eyes. "Thank you for doing this."

"Don't act like this is some inconvenience. I would not be anywhere else today. This means the world to me to be here."

"Thank you." Liv told him again.

"You ready?" He asked.

She nodded.

"Let's go then." Cragen intertwined his arm with Olivia's and they walked out.

The rooftop looked over the city. It was a beautiful New York evening and it was just starting to get dark, the sun lighting up the sky a soft yellow as it just began to set. Trees lined the surrounding and fairy lights hung between them, glittering in the sunset. The guests sat in chairs covered in white linen. When Liv and Cragen rounded the corner to the aisle, all eyes were on them. But it was Ed that she saw first.

And he only had eyes for her. His jaw dropped and he was sure that everyone heard him gasp. Olivia's white dress fit her curves perfectly. The A-line off white gown was embroidered completely with lace that dissolved into the fabric of her skirt. Her shoulder length hair was curled softly and half way pulled up, two pieces framing her face. Her olive skin glowed under the lights and her brown eyes were filled with joy. Ed knew that she had never looked more beautiful. He stared at her, trying to take a mental photo so that he would always remember what his wife looked like on their wedding day, even though there was no way he could possibly forget the most incredibly gorgeous woman he had ever seen.

From the moment that they took the first step down the aisle, everything became a blur for Olivia except Ed.

She wasn't particularly good at being the center of attention and while she wanted their friends and family to be there for this very special occasion. They wouldn't have gotten this far if it hadn't been for their support, Olivia had thought that all she would notice during the ceremony was all the eyes in the room watching their every move.

However, Ed was the most welcome distraction she had ever seen. His black suit was fitted perfectly and the smile that spread across his face the moment she came into his view made her give him one in return. That was the man she was spending the rest of her life with. He was her children's father. He would soon be her husband. And Liv had never been so certain of what she was doing.

What felt like seconds later, Ed was slipping the ring on her finger. "I do."

And Olivia quickly returned the favor. "I do."

The same spark that Olivia and Ed had felt during their first kiss, was exactly what they felt during their first kiss as husband and wife. And Olivia had a sneaking suspicion that it would last for the rest of their forever.

"Our lieutenant is a married woman." Carisi joked as he approached Olivia with Amanda and her baby girl.

"Who would have guessed, right Carisi?" Liv joked with him.

"It was a beautiful ceremony Liv." Amanda was bouncing Layla on her hip.

"Thank you." Liv immediately reached for her daughter, who happily went to her mama. "And you sweet girl were so good."

"I think that's because she fell asleep on Carisi. Drool and all." Amanda laughed as Sonny made a show of pointing out the drool stain on his gray dress shirt.

Liv laughed out loud. Layla giggled, as well, like she knew what she had done. "I am sorry about the shirt, but I will thank you for keeping her under control."

"And Jesse just got food all over Fin's shirt, so I can tell you right now these girls are doing their job for their uncles." Amanda looked to Carisi, who just rolled his eyes playfully.

"Mama!" Noah came running up to her.

Liv knelt down, Layla still in her arms. "What are you up to?"

"I was looking for you."

"Oh really. Well what can I do for you?" Olivia tugged at her son's little tie, trying to straighten it.

"I just wanted to see you." Noah gave her his sweetest smile.

"I wanted to see you too." She gently kissed his head. "Have you eaten yet? Maybe someone will take you to go get some food?" Liv pointed to Sonny who played along, pretending to look around like he hadn't noticed.

"Sonny!"

"Who me?" Carisi asked as if he would never have guessed.

Noah was in a fit of giggles over the whole charade.

"Come on, bud. Let's go see what we can sneak you that mama wouldn't approve of." Carisi swooped down and took Noah into his arms.

Amanda followed along after them, all smiles as Carisi talked to Noah about all the treats he was going to get to have because it was such a special day.

Olivia shook her head, while trying to hold back her own laughter. She turned and headed the other direction in search of a certain older gentleman who had disappeared into the crowd of tables.

"Don." She said to him when she finally found him sitting at the middle table.

"Well isn't it Olivia Tucker." Cragen joked with her, knowing that she wasn't going to change her last name.

"Very funny." She smirked. "I just wanted to come say thank you again. This day wouldn't have been complete without you."

"Liv, you have to stop that. I could not have asked for a bigger honor than being the one walking down that aisle with you. You are so important to me; you always will be. And these babies," He took Layla into his own arms, "are going to be seeing a lot more of me now."

"What does that mean?" Liv gave him a questioning look.

"Ilene and I just bought a new apartment in the city. Only fifteen minutes from you and Ed."

"You're coming back?" She was surprised to say the least. Olivia had assumed that if Don Cragen ended up anywhere, it would have been in Florida with Ilene and her own kids.

"We are. We thought a lot about because Ilene's family isn't here, but she's spent so many years in this city and I've spent my whole life here that we just couldn't go anywhere else that would actually feel like home. And planes were invented for a reason; we can see the family whenever we want."

"I am so happy to hear that." Olivia loved this man like a father.

"And I am even happier to tell you." Cragen squeezed her hand, assuring her that he was here for whatever.

"Did anyone tell you that you look pretty damn good today?" Ed whispered into Olivia's ear hours later as they slowed danced in each other arms.

The night was coming to a close. Some people were getting ready to go, the rest of them on the dance floor enjoying the last few songs. Ed had grabbed Liv from the people she was talking to so that he could enjoy one more dance with his wife.

"I don't know. I think maybe you said something earlier." Liv played along.

"Well then let me say it one more time. You look gorgeous."

"If you're saying that to me, then I must admit that you look pretty suave yourself."

Ed chuckled at her. He pulled away, just enough to look her in the eyes. She was beaming, as was he.

"I love you, Liv."

"I love you more." Olivia leaned in for a kiss and Ed easily returned the favor.

 _ *** Fluff, fluff, fluff. And I can't lie, I enjoyed writing it as much as I hoped you enjoyed reading it. This isn't the end quite yet either, so expect a little more Tuckson coming at you very soon. For now, let me know your thoughts! ***_


	18. Chapter 18

_*** An update for all of you lovely people! Happy Friday, folks! ***_

"Let's go mama! Let's go!" Noah pulled on his mother's hand, trying to drag her out the door of the apartment.

Olivia laughed at her son; she had never seen him so eager. "Buddy, we have to wait for Ed and Layla. We can't go without them."

"They can meet us at the car." He suggested.

"Sorry, Noah. You're just going to have be a little more patient." Olivia knew that she was asking a lot of her son.

If she was being honest with herself, Noah had been very patient up until now. The family was headed to the airport for their first vacation all together. They were going to Florida. Cragen's girlfriend, Ilene had offered to let them stay in her home on the beach. At first Liv had been apprehensive; traveling with an eight-month-old and a four-year-old seemed like a big undertaking, but Ed had convinced her that they deserved a trip to spend some time just them and the kids.

"Alright, I think we can finally go." Ed came out from the bedroom, carrying Layla.

"I see that someone gave daddy a hard time." Liv took her daughter, allowing Ed to get the luggage.

"I would much rather have her crying when you try to change her diaper than running away every time you turn around." Ed looked to his little girl, who just smiled at him.

"But she knows that you won't get mad at her, so she's going to keep doing it." Olivia told him, before turning to Noah. "Do you have your backpack ready, sweet boy?"

Noah nodded. "Ready!"

Ed chuckled at the little boy; he was beyond excited to go.

Two hours later and a very hectic walk through security, Olivia, Ed, and the kids were boarded on the plane, as it taxied from the gate. Layla had fallen asleep after Ed paced the airport for half an hour. She stayed asleep against him, now; Ed worried that if he moved her she would wake up. Noah, however, sat next to Liv at the window seat. He stared excitedly out, pointing to everything they passed, even though they hadn't taken off yet. By the time the plane took off in the air, he had his whole face squished against the window and was upset when his mom made him sit back in his seat.

"But mama, I want to watch." Noah pouted.

"You can in a little bit." She assured him. "You just have to sit in your seat while we get up in the air."

"Look, mama, look." Noah pointed a finger at the window.

They were about to land, but Noah still had a few minutes before the flight attendants would be walking the aisles to see that everyone had on their seatbelts. The mom had made sure to have the fully charged iPad, coloring books, and even some of Noah's toy cars with her to keep him occupied on the plane ride. But just like on the flight to Paris, Noah had spent most of his time staring out the window.

"Yeah, that's the ocean, baby. We're going to get to play in that when we get to the house." Olivia explained to him.

"Can we make a sand castle?" Noah looked at her hopefully.

"Like the one in your book?" Liv asked him, referring to a book about a little boy playing on the beach for the first time that Cragen had bought for him after finding out that they were going on the trip.

"Yes! He built the castle with his daddy. Can I build one with Ed?" Noah turned his gaze to Ed, who had been listening in on the conversation. They hadn't quite reached the point of Noah calling Ed dad nor did they want to push it.

"Let me see." Ed pretended to think very hard about what Noah had asked him.

"Come on." Noah pleaded. "Please!"

"Well since you asked so nicely, I just have to say yes." Ed winked at him.

"Can we build it today?"

"We have to see about that one. If we don't do it today, I promise you that we will do it tomorrow. How does that sound?"

"Okay!" Noah answered, but he had returned to staring out the window.

By the time they collected their luggage and made it the house, it was nearing 6pm. The sun would be setting within an hour, so Ed told Noah that they would have to make their sand castle the following morning. It took some convincing, but Noah accepted the fate of his sand castle, in return for at least a walk on the beach with the man that evening.

"Have fun with Ed, okay?" Liv told her son. She watched him grab hold of Ed's hand and walk out the sliding glass door at the back of the house, a smile plastered across his face. She turned to her daughter who was sitting on the floor playing with a toy. "Well it looks like it's just you and me, baby."

Layla smiled up at her mama. Olivia sat down on the floor next to her, picking up one of the toys and shaking around to get a giggle out of the baby girl. She loved this age, when they started to interact and react. She wished she could keep her baby this little forever.

"I love you, baby." Liv kissed her chubby cheeks and Layla grabbed onto her, like she was trying to give her a hug. She pulled her into her lap and snuggled the little girl against her.

"What time did you finally get him to bed?" Olivia asked her husband, as she poured him a cup of coffee the next morning.

"I think it was almost 10, but he got back up at 11." Ed gratefully took the coffee from her, doing his best to get it away from Layla's little hands that reached for it from his lap.

Liv chuckled. "No wonder he's still asleep."

The little boy had been so wound up after checking out the beach with Ed, that he had spent nearly an hour running around the house and avoiding bath time. He refused to go to bed and while she felt bad about it, Ed had offered to stay up with him until he finally went to bed, so Olivia had taken the chance to get a little extra sleep.

"I wish I was still sleeping." Ed took a sip of his coffee.

"If you really want you can take a nap. This is your vacation." Liv pointed out to him.

"Not until our sandcastle is built. Noah will never forgive me if that doesn't happen the moment after he wakes up."

"Okay, maybe after the sand castle adventure."

Ed had been right, the moment that Noah came down the stairs from the room he was sleeping in, he went to Ed and asked when they were going to the beach. He explained to Noah that he had to eat his breakfast first and get changed into his swim trunks first. The little boy huffed at the thought of waiting any longer, but he obliged by the rules of his parents.

"Noah don't run too far ahead." Liv yelled after her son, who was trampling down the beach.

Ed jogged after him, swooping him up, his giggles still audible from where Liv walked behind them with Layla. They continued to run ahead, but eventually Olivia caught up with them where Ed was laying down beach towels, signaling that he had found a spot for them to settle themselves for the morning.

"We're going to build it right here." Noah pointed to a spot in the sand where he was informing Ed that he wanted to build his sand castle.

As the morning passed, Ed and Noah worked hard on their castle. They packed plastic bucket after plastic bucket with wet sand until they had enough stacked that Noah was satisfied; he probably had more fun running back forth to get sand than he did actually building it. Olivia watched from one of the beach towels, sitting with Layla who was rather skeptical of the sand and only wanted to play with the bright-colored beach toys by the safety of her mother.

"Come here, Layla girl." Ed lifted the baby girl into his arms and took her over to where Noah stood proudly in front of his sand castle.

Liv could hear Noah tell his little sister all about his castle; he was beaming with pride as he did his four-year-old best to explain all the details of his work to the baby, who had no idea what he was babbling on about, but watched him intently anyway.

"Mama did you see it?" Noah ran over to her, crashing down onto the beach towels next Olivia.

"I did." Liv told him. "It's so great."

Ed moved Noah, sat down, and then put the little boy on his lap. "Do you think this is what retirement will be like?"

Olivia looked at him, trying to read his face. But her husband just stared out into the ocean, not hinting at what was running through his head.

"I think you would have to ask Cragen about that."

"I mean I could get used to this." Ed leaned back, letting out a sigh, like he was trying to picture himself on the beach for the rest of his years.

"Are you thinking about trying it sometime soon?" Liv asked him.

"I gave it some thought." Ed admitted to her, finally turning to look over at his wife and daughter. "But then I remembered we still have two college tuitions to pay for and realized that it wasn't an option."

"Very funny. What really stopped you from considering it?" Questioned Olivia as she got out a snack for Noah, who hungrily took the small bag of crackers from his mama.

Ed sat back up before he answered. "Hostage Negotiation offered me a position as their captain."

"We're talking about NYPD right?" Olivia wanted confirmation that he wasn't thinking about uprooting their lives again.

"Yes NYPD."

"When did that happen?"

"Just yesterday morning."

"Why didn't you say anything before now?"

"I didn't think it was really vacation talk. And I wanted sometime to just think about it. It's a lot more field work than I'm doing now and we both know how dangerous it can be. I have three other people to consider before I give them an answer."

"You've already turned down the opportunity once, do you really think you could say no again?"

Ed shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe. Last time I wasn't sitting on the beach with my wife and kids. A lot has changed and I have to think about what something so demanding means for us as a family."

"I don't want to tell you to do something if you aren't one hundred percent invested in it, but I know how much you wanted that LAPD job. You're meant for hostage negotiation, not just some job where you push around paperwork, even if that's what you did for years."

"So you wouldn't be upset if I took it?"

"Not at all." She assured him. "You can't completely give up on yourself for us. I know that the whole LA thing wasn't great, but this is different. This isn't moving everything to a new place, changing everything we know. This is maybe needing Lucy a few more hours a week or working out schedules so that we be home with the kids as much as possible. I want you to do it, if it's what you really want."

"Has anyone ever told you how incredible you are?" Ed pushed a loose piece of hair out of Olivia's face.

"Stop it." She pulled away, her cheeks blushing.

"Just telling you the truth. Not my problem that you won't believe me."

"You have to say that. You're my husband."

Ed leaned in, expecting a kiss and getting one in return from Olivia. "I don't have to say that. I get to say that because it's true."

Liv giggled, feeling like a love-struck teenager. "Thank you, Romeo. Now help me get these babies back to the house so that we can have a nap time of our own."

"I like the sound of that." Ed told her.

 _ *** Alright, so pretty fluffy again. Which I can't deny, was a little fun to write. But I will be slowly dwindling this story down, probably a few more chapters left. I haven't completely written off writing a sequel, but I can't say for certain. For now, please with cherries on top leave me your reviews. I love to hear what you guys are feeling about the story. ***_


	19. Chapter 19

_*** Okay, so if I'm being completely honest, I sort of forgot that I even had this story going (not sure how that was possible). But I've remembered it now and will hopefully not neglect it any longer. Here's a brand new chapter, with more to come hopefully sooner rather than later. ***_

It took just one week to change the course of everything.

Olivia knew that things never stayed the same for long and they certainly couldn't go too well for her and her family for too long. That would be too easy, that would be too dream-like to ever be her reality.

"Where the hell is he?" Her voice came out as more of a shout than she had intended, but her emotions were beginning to take over.

"Lieutenant." Tucker's new sergeant from hostage negotiation came up to her.

"Do not patronize me." Olivia could hear it in his voice, trying to calm the inconsolable wife. However, she wasn't inconsolable and she didn't need to be any calmer.

"I'm sorry." He backed off, afraid to make one of the most important officer's in the NYPD angry. "I know my call must have been the last thing you were expecting to get."

"You could say that." She scoffed slightly.

The sergeant seemed flustered by the woman and her presence. Ed had said that he was young, but Olivia hadn't expected to feel like she was talking to a twelve-year-old when she was on the phone and in person he only looked like he was a couple years older than that, though she knew he was at least in his early thirties.

"Look, I just need to know where he is and what's going on." She told the sergeant.

He let out a deep breath. "He's still in surgery, or at least that was the last update we got half an hour ago. The nurse said she thought it was going well, or at least as well as it could be going. I'm not sure exactly where he was hit, I couldn't see him well enough from the cameras we had inside the apartment."

Not even an hour earlier, Liv had been called by the sergeant as she sat in the squad room at SVU going over a case with the team. They had all watched her intently as she stepped away from the round table to answer her phone and they had all been holding their breaths as they watched the look on her face change from focused to horrified.

Ed had been shot during a hostage situation was all that she allowed herself to be told before she hung up on the sergeant and ran out of the unit without a single word to her team.

They had been back from their family vacation for a week, seven days of coming down from the highs of the beach, peace and quiet, and priceless moments with their children. It had been a rather relaxed week, work had been slow, Ed and Olivia had been home for dinner and put the kids down every night. Now all of a sudden, they were thrown back into the reality of their work.

"Did they tell you where he was going when he was out of surgery?" Olivia was doing her best to be polite, as it was becoming more obvious that the sergeant was nervous because of her and also tearing himself apart for letting something happen to his superior officer.

"Umm… no." The officer scratched his head, eyes down on the floor.

Olivia just sighed and left the man alone. He needed to work through some things and she didn't have time to help, she needed to find Ed.

"Excuse me, can you tell me where I can find someone?" Liv walked up to one of the nurses who sat behind a desk, typing in the computer.

She smiled up at her. "I can certainly try. What's the name?"

"Edward Tucker. He came in a little over an hour ago."

"May I ask how you are related to Mr. Tucker?" The nurse asked. "I'm sure you know that I can only let family know the details."

"I'm his wife."

"Oh okay." The nurse seemed surprise; Olivia unsure why, until she realized that she had her badge hanging around her neck and the nurse was obviously not expecting her to be someone's wife. "It says that he is still in surgery, but when he's out, they should be taking him to the fifth floor, which is patient rooms."

"Thank you." Olivia walked away, looking for the signs to the elevator.

She rode up in an empty elevator, finally taking a few deep breaths and letting all that was happening sink in. As she exited and walked toward the waiting room that was just to her right, Liv could feel herself panicking. She had held herself together with the sergeant because at least one of them needed to be coherent, but now that she was alone the walls of the waiting room seemed to be getting closer and closer and all of the most horrible things she could think of happening to Ed were swarming around in her head.

"Excuse me."

Olivia practically jumped up from her seat at the voice. She looked up to see a doctor standing above her.

"Yes?" She stood up to match his stance, though the man must have been over six feet tall. He looked more like a basketball player, than a doctor she thought to herself.

"Are you here for Mr. Tucker?" He asked. "There was a note in his chart that said his wife was here."

"Yeah, yeah. That's me."

"Well I'm happy to tell that surgery went very well. We'll be moving him into a room in just a few minutes and then you can see him."

"That's it? He was shot, wasn't he?"

The doctor nodded, confirming what she knew. "Yes, he was. But it was just a bullet to the shoulder and he was grazed on his arm as well. The only reason he really had to be taken into surgery was to remove the fragments of the bullet."

"So he's fine? It's that simple?"

"It is actually that simple. I won't lie if the bullet had been any further toward his chest, I would probably not be having the same conversation with you right now, but that didn't happen, so simple is all I've got."

"Well I'll take it then." Liv told him. "Where will he be?"

"He should be just down that hallway." The doctor pointed to his left, past the nurses' station. "Room 526, it will be on your right."

"Thank you." She grabbed her purse and her coat that she had taken off. She headed in the direction he had pointed, scanning the numbers outside of each room in search of 526. When she finally found it and walked in, there were two nurses helping to situate her husband.

He looked up at her and smirked. The nurses turned to look at her too, but just finished their job before leaving and letting them know to just push the button on the side of the hospital bed if they needed anything.

"Really?" Liv raised an eyebrow at him as she set her belongings down on the empty chair in the corner or the room.

"Figured everything had been going so well, I needed to do something exciting." Ed flashed her a very fake smile.

She just scoffed at him. "You do know that you're too old to be doing this anymore, right?"

"Hey! Who are you calling old?"

"You, sir." Olivia couldn't help but let a laugh slip from her.

Ed shook his head at her. "Look if I'm too old to be doing this, then you're too old to be getting calls about your husband being shot."

"Hey now. You need to watch it. You're old, I am not."

He laughed out loud, filling the room with the deep rumbling. "Alright, you're not old. But I'm not that old, either."

"Okay, I'll give you that." She said.

"Thank you."

"Do you need anything? I know it wasn't that serious, but it still must have hurt like hell."

"Oh you can bet it did. For a while there, I thought I would rather have been shot somewhere worse just so I could have blacked out and not felt it."

"Let's not go that far, any worse and I could have been left to raise those babies on my own."

"Don't remind me. The minute that bullet hit me, I figured it was all over, I was never going to see you or the kids again. I think that thought hurt worse than the bullet in my shoulder."

"Well don't think that I wasn't thinking the exact same thing. Your sergeant called, who by the way is an absolute mess, and I thought that I was going to either pass out or vomit right there in the squad room."

"I'm sorry, Liv." He sounded genuinely upset.

"Don't." She stopped him. "This isn't your fault. It's not like you went to work today and said wow this is a good day to get shot and scare the shit out of my wife."

"Yeah, but maybe you're right. Maybe I am too old for this, maybe I shouldn't have taken this job with HNT."

"Stop, I don't want to hear that. This is the job you have always wanted, the job you were meant to have. Getting shot does not mean that you are too old. That could have happened any time, to either of us. You are not leaving this job or even thinking about leaving it. You'll heal, you'll be back to normal and you won't be thinking about leaving or retiring or anything else."

"What if that's what I wanted?"

"But it's not."

"But what if it was? What if I said to you right now, I want to retire? I want to be home with the kids and with you and stop running around like a thirty something trying to impress the brass. What would you say?"

"I would be surprised, but if it's what would make you happy and if it meant that you would get to be with Noah and Layla more, I would support you."

"Good, just making sure."

"Well what if I told you that I wanted to retire? What would you say?"

"Like hell you do."

"Just the answer I was expecting." Liv chuckled softly.

Ed began to laugh too, but he stopped mid-way, his good arm reaching for his shoulder. Olivia could see the pain written across his face. He was biting his lip, hard enough that it looked like he should be drawing blood. She raced to his side.

"What is it?"

"I… It…" But his breaths were shallow and they sounded so strained he was barely able to make them.

"Your shoulder? Something else? What is it?" Olivia did her best to keep an even tone, but she could tell by his reaction that something was very wrong and it brought back the feeling she had earlier in her squad room.

"Chest…" Was the only word he could get out before his eyes started to close.

"No! No, no, no." Olivia smashed the nurses' call button. "Ed! Ed you have to stay with me."

The nurse strolled in casually, not aware of the situation she had just walked into.

"You have to do something. Call his doctor." Liv was frantic. "Ed, baby. You have to stay with me. Please."

His eyes fluttered for a brief moment and for a split second Olivia thought he was going to be okay, that it was all a false alarm, and that he was coming back to her. But his eyes shut tight again and the grip he had on her hand loosened until his fingers were limp in Olivia's palm.

The nurse stuck her head out the door. Liv could hear her yelling, but couldn't make out what she said before she came back in. "When did this start?"

"Five minutes ago… maybe less." Liv refused to let go of Ed's hand.

The doctor rushed in, the same one that Olivia had been acquainted with in the waiting room. Dr. Morgan, she now noticed his name embroidered on the white coat he hadn't been wearing earlier.

"Can you tell me what happened?" The doctor was talking to Olivia, but his eyes were on Tucker as he examined him.

"He was fine and then all of a sudden he looked like he was in pain and he was grabbing for his shoulder, but he was short of breath and all that he could get out was the word chest."

Dr. Morgan looked to the nurse and they shared a quick glance that made it seem as if they both knew what was happening. Liv tried to decipher what it meant, but they looked away from each other too quickly for her to.

"Okay, ma'am, I'm going to have you follow me outside while the doctor works." The nurse tried.

"No, I'm not leaving him."

"Ma'am." The young woman's voice was stern now and the soft look on her face had hardened. "You have to leave."

Liv looked to Ed one more time, gave his hand a final squeeze and very slowly shuffled out the door, but not before she looked back, only to see the doctor and nurse now pushing a plastic tube down Ed's throat. Whatever had just happened was much worse than she could have imagined.

 _ *** Okay, so I wasn't really looking for any kind of cliffhanger ending, but I got to writing and somehow we ended up here. And I know, so much drama, this family has been through enough, but what's a good story without a few twists and turns. Anyway, let me know what you thought. Any and all reviews are always appreciated! ***_


	20. Chapter 20

_*** An update! ***_

She could feel her hands shaking as she ran them through her hair, getting caught in a tangle at the end that she ripped through. She took the hair tie that was on her wrist and threw her hair up in a messy bun, the touch of it against her neck an unbearable annoyance.

Olivia had been banned to the waiting room once again, the nurse explaining to her that she couldn't wait in the hallway. She had huffed and puffed about it, but walked down the hallway again. The nurse was doing her job and as much as she wanted to fight against the rules, Liv knew that making a scene wouldn't make things any better.

She pulled out her phone, thinking through who to call first.

 _"Hey Liv."_ Fin answered her call on the first ring, having been waiting for her call since she ran out of the squad room.

"Fin… I…" She hadn't realized until she started talking that she was holding back her sobs.

" _What do you need Liv?"_ Fin knew she was trying to hold it together.

"Can you… can you ask Amanda to get the kids for me?" Her voice still shaky, but she had swallowed her tears. "And will you bring them here? I need to see them. I need them."

 _"You at Mercy?"_

"Yeah."

 _"We're coming now."_

She hung up. The sobs wracking her body as she sat in the chair and shook, the tears violently streaming down her cheeks. No one else was in the waiting room and she let herself fall apart from the stress and from the worry and from all that had happened since Layla. She found herself thinking about Ed, but also about what she had been through, what her babies had been through and with each passing thought she shook harder and harder from her own cries.

"Liv?" Amanda gently padded up to her lieutenant, who was folded over, head in her hands.

She shot up, rubbing her eyes in hopes of removing the mascara that was now underneath her eyes and probably down her face even though she had done her best to wipe it off when she finally stopped sobbing long enough to do so. The blonde smiled softly at her, sympathy obvious in her eyes as she took in the sight that was Olivia.

"Come here baby." Liv reached her arms out and Amanda passed Layla to her. The eight-month old snuggled against her shoulder, hiding her face in the crook of her mother's neck, almost as if to comfort her, like she could sense how upset she was.

"Mama?" Noah stood behind Fin's legs, just peaking his head out from behind him, cautious of what was to come.

His tentativeness made Liv's heartache; he shouldn't have to see her like this. "Come here sweet boy." She held out her free hand.

Noah obliged, slowly and carefully, making sure that it was truly okay for him to approach her.

"Mama why are you sad?" His big brown eyes stared up at her and Olivia was sure that she would burst into tears again.

"Something happened to daddy Ed and I'm just a little worried about him." A scared look overcame Noah's face and Liv backtracked. "But I'm sure that he will be okay."

"Can we go see him? Maybe if he sees us, it will make him feel better." Olivia had to cover her mouth to stop herself from gasping at her son's sweet response. "When he was sad about you, he said that seeing me made him feel better."

"Oh baby. When he feels a little bit better, you and Layla are the first people who are going to get to see him. He loves you both and I know that he will feel great after he gets to see you."

Amanda looked to Fin and the look on his face told him exactly what she was thinking: Liv was doing her best to keep a brave face, but her voice showed just how fearful she was that Ed may not be okay. They would do whatever they could to help her and make sure the kids were taken care of, however, they knew that nothing they could do would be the same as Olivia knowing that Ed would make it through whatever was happening.

"Noah, maybe we can go get mama some coffee?" Amanda propositioned Noah. "And maybe even get you a treat?"

"Alright!" Noah agreed if it meant he would get something out of it. But then he turned to his mom. "You okay, mama?"

"I'll be fine sweet boy. Go with Amanda."

Olivia shifted in her seat, moving Layla so that she was sitting in her lap. Fin watched as Amanda walked back to the elevator with Noah, waiting for them to disappear before he turned to his lieutenant. The face she had been putting on for Noah was gone and he could see the pain she was feeling.

"Do you think this hell is ever going to end?"

Her question took him aback.

"I mean how many times is Noah going to have to be told that something happened to one of us. I know that he still doesn't understand it all, but someday someone is going to tell him and he's going to realize what they're saying. And Layla had a traumatic enough entrance into this world, the last thing she needs is to lose one of us too."

"What are you supposed to do?" Fin sat down next to her.

"I don't know." She leaned her head back, so it was resting against the wall. "Ed keeps talking about retirement."

"Don't even go there. Neither of you are willing to give this up."

"I don't know, maybe. At this point I would consider a lot of things if it meant that I knew we were both going to go home to our children every night."

"But you do get home to your children every night." Fin said. "And as much as you think that giving up the job would help, it won't. You do this for those kids Liv. You take the scum of the earth off the streets so that it's just that much safer for them. If you leave it, you'll just worry more because you know what's out there and you know that you can't help to stop it."

"How do you know that?"

"I may not have a lot to say, but I sure do notice a whole hell of a lot. And I've known you for too long Liv to not know why you're still here."

"Eighteen years."

"Can't believe it's been that long."

"It's too bad I've been stuck with you that long."

Fin looked at her and saw the smirk on her face. This woman was like his sister, she was family and always would be.

"Mrs. Tucker?"

Olivia looked up to see the familiar doctor she had met earlier. "It's Benson."

"Mrs. Benson." He corrected himself. "May I speak to you?"

"Here let me take her." Fin grabbed Layla from her mother's lap.

Liv stood up and followed the doctor a few feet from where she he had just sat. "How is he?"

"He had a minor heart attack."

Olivia's eye widened in horror. "Can a heart attack even be considered minor?"

"In a sense no, but compared to what it could have been your husband was very lucky. He didn't need surgery, nor do we think that he will."

"So he'll be okay?"

"He will." The doctor told her. "But, he'll be recovering for a while. Although it was minor, we'll be watching him closely and it will take some time for him to get back to the same stamina he had."

"But, wait, he doesn't have any history of heart problems does he?"

"No, we think it was the stress from the shooting that caused this."

Here they had just been joking about retiring, about how he was too old for the job and now this happened. She wouldn't admit it, nor would she mention it to Ed, but maybe this was some kind of sign that life was going to have to change.

"Can I just go see him?"

"Absolutely. He's back in the same room. The cardiologist will be back shortly to check in on him."

Olivia first went back to Fin.

"Do you want me to take her and I'll go find Amanda?"

"That would be great." Liv accepted his offer. "I'm going to see how Ed is doing and then I'll text you. If he's up for it, I want to let them see him. To let Noah that he's actually okay."

"My phone is always on."

Liv thanked him and made her way back to Ed's room. Something about seeing him scared her. Knowing that he was okay was all that she needed, but she wasn't sure what Ed was going to need. This wasn't just an everyday on the job accident anymore, this was a serious problem, this was going to change the way he looked at his job and his life.

She walked in to find him staring at the wall in front of him, a melancholy look on his face.

"Hi." She said quietly, careful not to startle him since he obviously hadn't heard her come in.

"What a shit show." He said in his low, husky voice. Though she usually found it sexy, now it sounded tired and cold.

She chuckled softly, not because it was funny, but because it was so true. "You could certainly call it that. How are you feeling?"

"Like an eighty-year-old man. I mean a heart attack, really?"

"It happens." Liv said to him. "And it's not like you were some old man who did more than he should have. This could have happened to anyone. You were shot, that's a lot of stress on your body."

"Save it, Liv. I'm just too old."

She could hear the defeat in his voice and she knew that this had taken a toll on him already. To have been discussing retirement as a joke and then to have it become a very real possibility, they would be working through this for quite a while.

"Look, let's not have this conversation right now okay? I know you have a lot to think about and I want to help you however I can, but you need to worry about getting better first."

"You mean I need to think about my retirement options."

"Maybe." Liv tried to shut down the conversation. "What do you think about seeing the kids?"

"Why?"

"Well I had Amanda and Fin brig them here because I needed to see them and then Noah was asking about coming to see you because it would make you feel better. Now I feel like he needs to see you so that he knows you're okay."

"That kid is too sweet for his own good." Ed's anger over the situation easing.

Liv let out a little laugh in agreement. She took out her phone and texted Fin to bring the kids back, giving him the room number. Minutes later there was a soft knock in the door and Olivia opened it for them.

Noah walked in confidently, but slowed the minute he saw Ed lying in the bed. It was as if he no longer knew what he was going to do to make him feel better and he wasn't accustomed to seeing him in a position that was anything other than strong and powerful. He was an officer, as Noah referred to his parents' jobs, and to Noah that meant that he was basically invincible. Yet here he was looking at the person who had become his father and he was as vulnerable was he could be.

"It's okay, buddy." Ed tried to reassure him.

"He's hurt?" Noah directed the question to his mother.

"Yeah." She nodded as she crouched down to his level. "But I bet that if you go give him a big hug, he will feel much better."

Noah looked at her and then to Ed and back to Olivia, before he gave her the okay. Liv picked him up and gently set him on the edge of Tucker's bed.

"I'm really glad you came to see me." Ed smiled.

Noah instantly put his arms around Ed's neck, causing the man to groan from the pain in his shoulder, but he knew the pain was worth it.

"I love you daddy."

Ed looked to Liv, who could already feel the tears forming in her eyes, once again. That was the first time that Noah had called Ed dad.

"I love you more, No." Ed kissed his forhead.

Noah ungrasped his hands from around his father's neck. "Do you feel better now?"

"So much better." Ed told him.

 _ *** Okay, so Ed is alright and he will obviously be surviving. However, him and Liv still have a lot to talk about (aka retirement talk is coming in their very near future, as it did in the show, but with a very different ending, of course). But ended with a little fluff because who doesn't love cute kid moments; I know I do. Anyway, let me know what you think, what you think Ed should do, and what should be next for our happy couple. ***_


	21. Chapter 21

_*** This update has been a long time coming and I am sorry that it has taken so long for me to write this. I hope you enjoy it! ***_

"So daddy gets to be home with us again tomorrow?"

Noah stared up at his mom, his brown eyes filled with a mixture of hope and curiosity, as Olivia tried to explain to him that both of his parents were home today because it was Sunday, but that Ed got to be home the next day too.

"Yes, now daddy gets to be home with you almost all the time." She answered his question. "Except for two days a week when he is teaching."

"Is daddy teaching people their numbers and ABCs like I'm learning?"

Liv chuckled at the innocence of his question. "No, not quite buddy. He's teaching people who want to become police officers, like mommy and daddy, how to beat the bad guys and make the city safer."

Since the shooting, Ed had spent some time rethinking his joining of hostage negotiation and eventually decided to leave. He was minutes away from turning in his retirement papers when he got the call from the academy. It was like the perfect job had been dropped in his lap and he couldn't pass up the opportunity to still be working while also getting to spend so much more time with Noah and Layla.

"So he's a good enough officer to tell others how to do it?"

"Yes, he is."

"When I grow up, will daddy be able to teach me how to be an officer? I want to be like him and like you."

Noah got up and pretended to yell at his stuffed animal on the coffee table, putting his hands behind its stuffed back and putting an imaginary pair of handcuffs around its wrists. Liv shook her head, wondering where her son had come up with his routine and also slightly worried that he knew too much of what she did at work.

"See, can I be like you and daddy?"

"Of course you can. If that's what you want to do, then you can."

Ed walked out from the bedroom, seconds later and Noah took no time in telling him about his future plans. "Daddy, daddy. Mama said that when I get older you can teach me how to be an officer like you teach the other people now."

"Well if you want to become an officer like mommy and daddy, then you need to get lots of sleep and eat all your vegetables." Ed sat down next to his wife on the couch.

Liv nodded along with Ed's words. "And how about we start with sleeping, sweet boy? Because it's bedtime and I am sure that you will need plenty of rest for school and hanging out with daddy tomorrow."

"But I want to play with you and daddy right now." Noah whined, while also rubbing his very tired eyes.

Ed looked at Liv, who just chuckled at her son. He always tried to fight his bedtime, but he was always, without fail, too tired to win against either of his parents. Eventually he wouldn't be so easy to beat and Olivia dreaded the time when he would be able to keep himself up.

"Come on, buddy. You have to listen to mama and go to bed." Ed reinforced.

"Fine." Noah pouted. "But I still get a story, right?"

"Of course you do. Now give daddy a kiss goodnight and let's go pick out your book."

Noah did just that, hugging Ed tightly, before running to his bedroom in search of the story he wanted read to him. Liv chased after him, returning to the living room half an hour later.

"Did he go down okay?"

Liv nodded at Ed. "Didn't even make it all the way through the book before he was passed out. He loves to fight it, but he is always so tired by the time he gets into bed."

"What did he say when you told him that I would be home again tomorrow?"

"He was thrilled. Who wouldn't be excited to get to have their dad home with them all the time?"

Ed could sense the edge in her voice as she made the comment. "Something bothering you, Liv?"

Olivia pushed her hair behind her ears, trying her best to hide what she had already let show.

"Come on, Liv. Spit it out."

"I'm missing even more now."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I know you made the right decision in taking this job with the academy and that you getting to spend more time with the kids is a good thing for them and for you, but I feel like now I'm missing more with them than I have before. You'll get to take them to park every day if you want or go to the zoo or hell even just a trip to the grocery store with them will be more than I get sometimes."

"So what are you thinking? That you don't want to keep working?" Ed asked.

"No because the thought of being anywhere other than SVU seems wrong." Liv explained. "But there are weeks when I'm home for four hours a night and am gone when they go to bed and when they wake up. I don't want them to assume that I care more about my job than I do about them or that you were the better parent because I was too busy working."

Ed put a hand on her knee, making her look up at him. "They will never think that you were a bad mom, do you hear me?"

"You don't know that." Liv stood and walked to the kitchen, pulling a wine glass from the shelf. "They're only going to remember all of the things that I missed."

"Did you not just hear Noah? He's convinced that you are basically a super hero. He wants to be you when he grows up. What about that says bad mom?"

"He's a four-year-old." Liv returned to the couch with a half-full glass.

"Who loves you and thinks that every day when you walk out that door that you are saving the world because you are."

"You don't know that."

"Olivia." His tone showed how annoyed he was. "He just sat here and told you that he wanted to be just like you. You've heard what his preschool teacher tells you about how he tells all the other kids that you stop all the bad guys. He is so proud of you; he is literally bursting at the seams. And the moment that she can understand, Layla will feel the exact same way."

Liv swirled her wine around in her glass, watching it rise and fall around the edges of the cup. She let Ed's words settle, remembering the multiple encounters she had with Noah's teacher who told her that he was telling the entire preschool class that his mom was the reason bad guys got put away. And the fact that the only thing he ever wanted to take for show and tell was her badge. She had even gone and talked to the class along with some of the other parents about her job. Noah had been beaming at her the whole time she spoke. But just because he was proud or thought that she was cool, didn't mean that Liv felt any less guilty about missing so much time with the kids or letting them think that Ed cared more because he was the one who drove them to school every day or took them for fun outings.

"The more you think about it, babe, the harder it will be for you." Ed took his hand and gently lifted her chin so that she was directly into his eyes. "You're doing the best job you possibly could be with them."

"You think?" She looked at him with her dark brown eyes, reminding Ed of the look he would get from Noah when he wanted something.

"I know." He leaned in, giving her a soft kiss.

The clinking of dishes in the sink were what probably woke up the sleeping 9 month old. Noah always insisted on putting his own plates and bowls away, but that actually meant making as much noise as possible by knocking them on all of the other dishes. This morning, following Liv and Ed's discussion had been no different.

"Noah, what have I told you about being gentle when you put your stuff in the sink?"

"That it's too loud when I do it." Noah gave her a slight pout, worried he was going to be scolding.

"You just have to be a little more careful, okay?"

"Okay!" He hopped down from the chair he had pulled over in order to reach the sink. "Can I go play in my room?"

"Yes you may. But only for fifteen minutes and then you need to brush your teeth and go with daddy to school."

Olivia watched him run away, walking behind him to retrieve Layla from her crib. She had pulled herself up against the rails, something she had just learned to do and she was rubbing the sleep from her eyes. But a smile instantly came to her face when she saw her mama.

"Good morning sweet girl." Liv lifted her into her arms, kissing the top of her head that smelled of baby shampoo from her bath the night before.

"Ma ma ma ma." The continual noise Layla had started to make sounded exactly like mama, but Liv knew that she was too young to be doing it on purpose. However, that didn't stop her from rubbing it in Ed's face when he whined about her not saying dada.

"Yes I am mama." She settled Layla on her hip, walking back into the kitchen, taking her coffee cup in her free hand. She did her best to sip at it, as Layla's little fingers reached for the cup. "Babies don't get coffee, Lay."

"She thinks they do." Ed walked out, dressed casually in a light blue polo and jeans. It was almost strange to see him so relaxed, so dad-like. She had known him only as a tough as nails cop, on both his good and bad sides, so casual, almost stay at home dad was an adjustment.

"Every morning, it's the same game." Liv chuckled. "Do you want to get Noah from his room and brush his teeth for me?"

Ed nodded, disappearing back from the hallway he had just come from. Olivia could hear their footsteps and the water in the bathroom running. Noah always seemed to cooperate more with Ed than with her, especially when it came to the things he didn't like, as in brushing his teeth and hair. The pair returned five minutes later; Noah had his shoes on and tied and his favorite sweatshirt on.

"Alright, I'll take her." Ed held out his hands and took Layla.

"I should be home by five tonight." Olivia put her cup in the sink, grabbing her keys from the counter, her blazer from the back of the dining room table, and her purse from by the front door, until she was ready for her day.

Ed had followed behind, both kids with him. "Just text me and let me know. Noah and I will be on dinner duty tonight, right bud?"

"Yes!" Noah agreed enthusiastically.

"Good. Now give mama a kiss." Liv went to Layla first who just scrunched her nose and giggled as the mom pressed her lips to her chubby cheeks. She leaned to Noah next, who met her halfway.

"Are you going to get some bad guys today, mama?"

"I sure hope so, sweet boy."

"I think you will. You're good at doing that. That's why you're like a superhero."

Olivia bit her lip, feeling the tears well in her eyes. She hadn't truly believed Ed when he had said how much Noah admired her work and how much he truly knew what she did. But now she knew that he was right and a weight lifted off of her as she realized that what she was doing when she wasn't able to be with her kids was something that was worthwhile.

"What did I tell you?" Ed pushed, wanting her to admit that he was right.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"Every once in a while, I'm right."

Olivia stood up and kissed him. "But not that often." She smirked at him and he just laughed as she walked out the door to work.

 _ *** Okay, so now we know what Ed decided to and the rest is pretty fluffy, but this family and fluff were a match made in heaven. I don't completely have an ending figured out, but I know that there is probably only 1 or 2 chapter left for this story. For now, leave me your reviews, maybe what you want to see before this over or how you want it to end or just how you like this chapter! ***_


	22. Chapter 22

_*** I'm happy and sad to say that this is the final chapter of this story. Read away, one final time! ***_

"Layla girl, you need to get over here right now."

Ed chased his daughter around the couch, down the hallway, and into her bedroom. She was refusing to get dressed and Olivia had given up, so Ed thought he would be able to get the job done. However, his daughter was proving him wrong.

"And you thought you could wrangle her?" Liv called to him from their bedroom when she saw her daughter's body pass by the open door followed by her husband.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Ed shooed her off. "Layla Jean, you have to get dressed or you are not going to get to go to your own party."

"What?" Ed turned around to see Noah. "Mama, daddy said that Layla isn't going to get to go to her own party."

Liv came walking down the hall, stopping to stand behind her son. "She isn't actually going to miss the party, baby. Dad was just telling her that because she doesn't want to get dressed."

"Maybe I can do it!" Noah said. He ran off to the living room where Layla's dress had been left by her parents. He returned seconds later carefully carrying it toward his little sister. "Lay, you have to wear your dress. That what you wear to parties."

"Nono." That was Layla's nickname for Noah.

"You should listen to Noah, sweet girl." Liv said. "He thinks you should put your dress on."

"Let me see her dress, bud." Noah handed the pink dress to his dad.

Ed grabbed Layla before she could get away and put it over her head quickly. Layla shook her head, trying to get the dress off, but her efforts made no difference, her dad had finally gotten her. Ed pulled it down over her, pulling her arms through the holes.

"Looks like we won that one." Liv laughed.

"Just barely." Scoffed Ed.

"Now Lay gets to go to her party!" Noah exclaimed.

Layla's first birthday had come much quicker than her parents expected it to. They both felt like they had just gone through the hell of bringing their daughter into the world, but twelve months had already passed. Their tiny little girl was now a dark haired, brown eyed, hyper, but oh so sweet one-year-old. She was the perfect combination of Ed and Olivia and she looked so much like her brother that no one would have ever guessed they weren't biologically related. She had fit so perfectly into the hole in their family none of them had known existed until it was filled. No matter how many times she tested her parents or tried to steal her brother's toys or threw food on the floor, the family couldn't help but love her more and more.

"What's the likelihood we actually make it to the party?"

Ed thought for a moment about the question. "I'm going to say realistically a fifty percent chance, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that if we actually get out the door, those odds will go up."

Luckily enough they did get out the door, later than they wanted to, but at least they were on the way and if everything went well they would still be there before the rest of the guests. If the venue hadn't been only fifteen minutes from their house, they would have been beyond late, something Liv wouldn't have accepted since she was the party host.

"Please tell me you're the only ones here already?" Olivia said to Amanda as she carried in her daughter and the bag with the plates, utensils and a few decorations.

"We are." The blonde assured her. "I got Jessie ready early for the first time in our lives, so I thought maybe if we came a little early we could help you."

"That would be great. Thank you."

Amanda could tell that Olivia was a little frazzled, but she understood wanting to make her daughter's first birthday party perfect. They worked together, while Ed tried to keep the kid's entertained. In half an hour they had the shiny pink balloons that spelled out Happy Birthday above the table with the food and the balloons that spelled out One hanging above the white, wood high chair they had ordered for Layla. The food had arrived just after they had, sandwiches, vegetable and fruit trays, fresh made cookies, and the two tiered white and pink cake.

"This looks great." Carisi commented as he walked into the room.

"I hope so. We did the best we could for the time we had." Liv sighed.

"It really does look great, lieu." He assured her.

Ed and Olivia had gone back and forth about what they wanted to for Layla's party. At first they had talked about doing something extravagant and renting something out. But they decided that because Layla was still so little and because they were avoiding it becoming a party for Noah and his older friends, they would find some event room that would hold their family and friends. The parents had come across a quaint little venue; it had a nice white room with hardwood floors and French double doors that opened into a garden big enough for all the kids to run around in. It was exactly what they had wanted.

"Where's the pretty birthday girl?" Don Cragen walked in carrying multiple presents.

"She is outside chasing her brother around." Olivia greeted him with a hug. "You didn't really bring all of that for her did you?"

"Two of them are for her, one is for Noah and one for Jesse. I have to make sure that all of the kids get something from Uncle Don, you know?"

"Oh I know." Liv chuckled.

The guests continued to come. A couple of kids from Noah's preschool class who also had younger siblings that Liv and Ed had gotten to know. Fin came with his grandson, Eileen had come with Cragen, and even Ed's mom had flown in for the occasion.

"You can eat it, sweet girl." Olivia said to Layla as she just stared at the piece of cake in front of her.

"Look." Ed took a fork from the table and scooped a piece into her mouth. "See? How's that?"

Layla chewed for a minute before her chubby hands were encased in the piece of cake. Frosting was covering her mouth in seconds and she had the biggest smile across her face as she realized how good the sweet treat was.

"Now that's more like it." The mom laughed at her daughter, as Sonny used his fancy camera to snap some photos of both parents with their baby girl.

Amanda and Fin took the initiative and cut the rest of the cake for the guests, trying to allow Ed and Olivia to enjoy the moment with their daughter. She would only turn one once.

A couple of hours later, Olivia sat with Carisi, Amanda, Fin, and Cragen at one of the tables. Everyone else had gone home. Ed took his mom and a sleeping Layla back to their apartment; she had crashed from the sugar rush. Noah stayed to play with Jessie and Fin's grandson was asleep on his shoulder. Carisi was showing Olivia all the pictures he had taken and Cragen was giving Fin a hard time about being such a doting Grandpa. It was nice to have the team all together, even though now it looked so different.

"You guys don't have to stay. I can clean this up by myself." Olivia said standing up from her seat.

"I know we don't have to, but we're going to." Carisi said, following her lead and picking up the empty plates scattered across the tables.

"We? I don't think I volunteered for this." Fin told him.

Liv playfully rolled her eyes at him. "You don't have to stay Fin. You should get him home anyway."

"I think I will." Fin carefully got up from his chair, as to not disturb the child. "It was good to see you, Cap. And I'll see the rest of you on Monday."

"I have a feeling these balloons will be harder to get down than they were to put up." Amanda headed for the shiny helium filled shapes.

An hour later, Olivia walked through her front door, Noah settled on her hip, his head laying against her shoulder. He was trying his best not to fall asleep, but his mom knew that he was only minutes away from letting the exhaustion of the day take over.

"Did you get it all cleaned up okay?" Ed asked as he came to take Noah from her arms.

Olivia nodded. "Did you take your mom back to the hotel already?"

"Yeah, she was pretty worn out and she knew that by the time you got home with him, we would all be tired."

"She got that right."

"I'm going to go put him in his room."

She watched Ed disappear down the hall. Liv put down her purse and kicked off her shoes. She settled on the couch, taking her laptop from the coffee table and opening up her emails. Carisi had already sent her all the pictures and she was eager to show Ed.

"You got all of them already?" Ed stood behind the couch, looking over her shoulder.

"Yep." She scrolled through them, while he sat down next to her.

They looked through them all, laughing at the ones of Layla squishing the cake in her face and fawned over how cute the ones of Noah and Layla were. Carisi had even caught a few good family photos of all four of them, something they didn't have because there had never been time for them to have some taken.

"Can you believe that's our family?" Asked Ed.

"What do you mean?"

"I just mean can you believe that Layla is already a year old and that we have a four-year-old. And we're married. And we have a home together. Sometimes I just still can't believe that we've come this far."

"Why? You didn't think we would last?" Poked Olivia.

"No I didn't think that." Ed assured her. "I always thought that we would last. I just never assumed that we would end up with another child and that after everything you went through to bring her into this world that we would get to celebrate her first birthday knowing that she is safe and healthy and loved by so many people. Or that I would be looking at our wedding pictures every morning in the hallway when I walked out of our bedroom. Or that when I walk through the door after work there would be two little munchkins attacking me with hugs."

"Well if I'm being honest, I never pictured it either."

"You didn't think we would last either, did you?"

"You make me sound awful. But no I didn't. And it's not because of you. It's because of me." Ed stayed silent, pushing her to continue. "I was just so used to pushing everyone away or having people leave because things got too serious. I've never had someone fight to stay with me. You're the first person I truly ever trusted."

"Ever?"

"I know it sounds dramatic. And I've trusted plenty of people that I've worked with, but I've never trusted someone that loved me. You know about my dad and my mom, it's not like I had an example of someone truly being there for me."

"Well now you know and you have to know that I will never break that trust."

"I do know that."

He pushed her hair back from her face and kissed her. "I mean it. Your trust is more important than anything to me."

"And I mean it when I say that I trust you. I know that you're here for me and that you're here for those beautiful babies of ours." She kissed him back, this time a little harder to get her point across.

Olivia laid in bed later that night, her body against Ed's and his arms wrapped around her waist. She felt safe and after telling Ed how much she trusted him, she felt even more confident that their family was meant to be. Noah was loved by both of his parents, even if they weren't biologically related and Layla was just what they needed even when they didn't know it. What they had was more than anything Liv could have hoped for. What was coming next for them, she didn't know, but she knew that there was never a dull moment in the Benson-Tucker household.

 _ *** I just have to say thank you to everyone who followed this story from the beginning or joined in the middle or is just now reading this for the first time. I loved writing this story and I'm so happy with the development of this family. Hopefully this last chapter, closed it for you. Let me know what you thought of this ending, I truly appreciate every review! ***_


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